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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. mug — a face
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. cap — a hat
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. rest — a break
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. mug — a cup
  11. deal — to handle
  12. prune — to trim
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. rest — what's left
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. mug — to rob
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. prune — to trim
  21. cap — a lid
  22. rest — what's left
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. chair — a leader

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