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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. saw — the tool
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bound — tied together
  5. perch — the fish
  6. cap — a hat
  7. bound — certain
  8. net — in sport
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. net — after costs
  13. bound — obliged
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — to drop
  18. mark — a grade
  19. cap — a lid
  20. fall — the season
  21. saw — the tool
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. net — for catching
  24. perch — for a bird

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