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 120 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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. cue — for pool
  4. present — there
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. cap — a hat
  7. saw — the tool
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cue — a hint
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. present — the time now
  12. saw — the tool
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. cap — a lid
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. cue — a signal
  22. present — a gift
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. fan — a supporter

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