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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. chest — of your body
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. fine — all right
  6. pitch — completely
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. ball — a dance
  9. cell — in biology
  10. cell — a phone
  11. chip — for betting
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. chip — to eat
  15. fine — high quality
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cap — a hat
  19. chest — of your body
  20. ball — a great time
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. chest — a box

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