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 124 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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. track — a path
  3. staff — a stick
  4. spell — a short time
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. spell — magic
  7. spell — letters
  8. staff — employees
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. staff — employees
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. track — to keep track
  13. drill — army training
  14. drill — the tool
  15. cap — a hat
  16. track — a song
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. drill — a practice
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. cap — of ice

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