ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. club — for dancing
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — of ice
  7. scale — size or range
  8. board — to get on
  9. spell — a short time
  10. scale — in music
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. spell — magic
  14. present — a gift
  15. board — a committee
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. present — the time now
  18. club — for golf
  19. cap — a hat
  20. present — there
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. club — a group
  24. foot — a measure

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com