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 116 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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. cap — of ice
  4. land — ground
  5. staff — a stick
  6. land — to come down
  7. sharp — clever
  8. chip — for betting
  9. chip — to eat
  10. cap — a hat
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. staff — employees
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. land — a country
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. rest — what's left
  24. staff — employees

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