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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. bark — to shout
  3. cap — a lid
  4. pop — to visit
  5. band — a ring
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. cell — in biology
  8. staff — a stick
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. staff — employees
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. cell — a phone
  15. cap — a hat
  16. cap — of ice
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. staff — employees
  21. band — a music group
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. ball — a great time
  24. pop — soda

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