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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. spring — a coil
  4. cap — a lid
  5. object — to protest
  6. pop — to visit
  7. spring — the season
  8. object — a thing
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pop — music
  11. cap — a hat
  12. capital — money
  13. object — an aim
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. capital — a city
  16. fall — to drop
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. pop — soda
  21. spring — of water
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. fall — to drop

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