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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. ball — a dance
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. charge — in control
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. press — a publisher
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wake — a trail
  12. press — to push
  13. wound — an injury
  14. cap — a lid
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. charge — a price
  19. cap — of ice
  20. press — newspapers
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a great time
  23. charge — electricity
  24. rush — hurry

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