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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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. cap — a hat
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. ball — a dance
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. pop — to visit
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. sharp — clever
  10. ball — a great time
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. track — a song
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. hand — in cards
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. pop — music
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. track — to keep track
  20. pop — soda
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. cap — of ice
  23. hand — help
  24. patient — a sick person

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