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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. cap — a hat
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. club — a group
  5. date — the fruit
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. ground — crushed
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — what's left
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. sharp — clever
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. ground — a position
  16. fall — to drop
  17. club — for golf
  18. ground — the earth
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. club — for dancing
  21. cap — of ice
  22. fall — the season
  23. cap — a lid
  24. fall — to drop

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