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 116 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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cap — a lid
  5. suit — to fit
  6. ball — a great time
  7. craft — boats
  8. root — the cause
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. wind — moving air
  14. chair — a leader
  15. craft — a skill
  16. suit — in cards
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. suit — clothes
  19. ball — a dance
  20. root — of a plant
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. root — of a word
  23. wind — moving air
  24. patient — a sick person

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