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 120 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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. charge — electricity
  4. cap — a lid
  5. season — of the year
  6. kid — child
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. tube — a container
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. content — the amount
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. cap — of ice
  14. content — happy
  15. charge — a price
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. tube — the underground
  18. kid — to tease
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. vault — a safe
  21. charge — in control
  22. season — in sport
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. pound — a weight

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