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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. tube — the underground
  5. perch — the fish
  6. stand — to bear
  7. board — a committee
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. cap — a lid
  13. board — to get on
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. dip — to sink
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. tube — a container
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. cap — of ice
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. perch — for a bird

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