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 116 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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. cap — a hat
  4. charge — in control
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. craft — a skill
  7. craft — boats
  8. net — after costs
  9. charge — electricity
  10. net — in sport
  11. wound — an injury
  12. face — to confront
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. net — for catching
  16. face — to point toward
  17. wound — an injury
  18. cap — a lid
  19. charge — a price
  20. face — part of the head
  21. tube — a container
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. tube — the underground

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