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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. scale — size or range
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. rest — what's left
  5. cap — a lid
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. scale — in music
  8. kid — child
  9. pit — a hole
  10. toast — bread
  11. rest — a break
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. cap — a hat
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. cap — of ice
  23. kid — to tease
  24. pit — in a race

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