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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. face — to point toward
  3. clip — for paper
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. chair — a leader
  7. current — electric
  8. sharp — clever
  9. clip — to cut
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. current — happening now
  13. cap — a hat
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. deal — to handle
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. face — to confront
  18. face — part of the head
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. clip — a video
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. current — of water
  23. can — a tin
  24. cap — of ice

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