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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. cap — a lid
  3. charge — a price
  4. cap — a hat
  5. can — a tin
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. charge — electricity
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. tube — a container
  10. tube — the underground
  11. can — to be able to
  12. cell — a phone
  13. mark — a trace
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. face — to point toward
  17. charge — in control
  18. band — a music group
  19. band — a ring
  20. face — to confront
  21. can — a tin
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cell — in biology
  24. face — part of the head

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