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 120 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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. rule — a law
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cap — a hat
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. ground — the earth
  9. ground — crushed
  10. stock — goods
  11. chip — for betting
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. ground — a position
  14. cap — a lid
  15. swing — in golf
  16. swing — to play on
  17. mug — a face
  18. chip — to eat
  19. mug — to rob
  20. swing — music
  21. mug — a cup
  22. stock — shares
  23. rule — government
  24. cabinet — ministers

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