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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. cap — of ice
  3. craft — boats
  4. cap — a hat
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. spell — magic
  8. cap — a lid
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. dip — to sink
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. spell — letters
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. stand — to bear
  22. spell — a short time
  23. craft — a skill
  24. pitcher — a jug

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