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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. cap — of ice
  3. race — the arms race
  4. tear — from crying
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. squash — the sport
  7. suit — to fit
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. cap — a lid
  10. tear — from crying
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. can — a tin
  13. suit — in cards
  14. race — humankind
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. suit — clothes
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. race — a contest
  20. scale — size or range
  21. squash — to crush
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. cap — a hat
  24. tear — to rip

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