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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. face — part of the head
  3. shower — rain
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. cap — of ice
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. tube — the underground
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — to handle
  11. tube — a container
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. ground — a position
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. ground — the earth
  16. face — to point toward
  17. ground — crushed
  18. face — to confront
  19. shower — to wash
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. cap — a hat
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. rock — a stone

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