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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. pound — a weight
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stock — shares
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. cap — a hat
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. cell — a phone
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. cap — a lid
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. cell — in biology
  24. stock — goods

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