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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. mug — to rob
  4. stock — goods
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. rule — government
  7. track — a song
  8. track — to keep track
  9. stock — shares
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. mug — a face
  12. press — to push
  13. mug — a cup
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. press — newspapers
  19. wake — a trail
  20. cap — a lid
  21. track — a path
  22. rule — a law
  23. cap — a hat
  24. press — a publisher

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