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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. cap — a lid
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. fine — all right
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bass — low music
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. shower — rain
  11. fine — high quality
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. wake — a trail
  14. shower — to wash
  15. cap — a hat
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. cap — of ice
  19. scale — size or range
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. bass — the fish
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. scale — in music
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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