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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. kick — in football
  4. tube — a container
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. spring — the season
  12. cap — a hat
  13. mark — a trace
  14. cap — of ice
  15. tube — the underground
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. cap — a lid
  18. spell — magic
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. spring — a coil
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. spell — letters
  24. spell — a short time

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