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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. cap — of ice
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. key — in music
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. key — the most important part
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. key — for a lock
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. cap — a lid
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. capital — money
  15. capital — a city
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. wound — an injury
  23. pound — a weight
  24. ruler — for measuring

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