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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. court — of a king
  6. cap — a lid
  7. court — of law
  8. march — music
  9. face — to confront
  10. march — the month
  11. march — the month
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. bore — to drill
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. court — for sport
  16. fork — in a road
  17. face — to point toward
  18. fine — all right
  19. face — part of the head
  20. cap — of ice
  21. fine — high quality
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. deal — a big deal

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