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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. rule — a law
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. rule — government
  7. cell — a phone
  8. face — part of the head
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cap — a lid
  15. toast — bread
  16. mine — for digging
  17. deal — to handle
  18. cell — in biology
  19. face — to confront
  20. stand — to bear
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. face — to point toward
  24. rule — to rule out

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