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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. cap — a lid
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. cue — a signal
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. cue — a hint
  8. fine — high quality
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cue — for pool
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. fine — all right
  19. cap — of ice
  20. pass — a permit
  21. prune — to trim
  22. mine — for digging
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — the fruit

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