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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. season — of the year
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. squash — to crush
  6. season — in sport
  7. cap — a lid
  8. squash — the sport
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. tube — a container
  11. cap — of ice
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. pass — a permit
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. wax — to grow
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. tube — the underground
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. pass — to succeed

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