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 120 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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. cap — of ice
  3. season — in sport
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cap — a hat
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bass — the fish
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. season — of the year
  10. bass — low music
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. file — a line of people
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. file — a tool
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. band — a music group
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. band — a ring
  19. file — a document
  20. cap — a lid
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. content — happy
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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