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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rock — a stone
  4. cap — a hat
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. file — a line of people
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. season — of the year
  11. file — a document
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. cap — of ice
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rock — music
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. game — a match
  18. game — wild animals
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. cap — a lid
  21. date — the fruit
  22. file — a tool
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — to bear

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