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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. wound — an injury
  3. face — to confront
  4. cap — a hat
  5. firm — decided
  6. firm — a company
  7. bound — obliged
  8. pop — to visit
  9. firm — steady
  10. bound — certain
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. pop — music
  13. cap — of ice
  14. stem — to come from
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. face — part of the head
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. pop — soda
  20. bound — tied together
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. face — to point toward
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. wound — an injury

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