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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. pitch — completely
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. cap — a hat
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. cap — a lid
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. kid — child
  10. can — a tin
  11. mate — to breed
  12. can — to be able to
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. mate — a friend
  15. cap — of ice
  16. perch — the fish
  17. can — a tin
  18. vault — a safe
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. kid — to tease
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. mate — a partner
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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