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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. fork — in a road
  3. mug — to rob
  4. charge — electricity
  5. lean — to bend
  6. vault — a safe
  7. cap — a lid
  8. lean — thin
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mug — a face
  18. charge — in control
  19. sharp — clever
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. bat — the animal
  23. cap — of ice
  24. charge — a price

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