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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. stock — shares
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. cap — a hat
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bat — the animal
  12. ground — crushed
  13. stock — goods
  14. rock — music
  15. cap — of ice
  16. ground — a position
  17. rock — a stone
  18. ground — the earth
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bat — in an idiom

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