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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. fall — to drop
  3. band — a ring
  4. cap — of ice
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. craft — a skill
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — clothes
  9. band — a music group
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. row — to paddle
  14. suit — to fit
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. row — a line
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. cap — a hat
  20. cap — a lid
  21. fall — to drop
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. can — a tin
  24. craft — boats

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