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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. cap — a hat
  3. rule — government
  4. row — a line
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. bat — the animal
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. object — a thing
  13. rule — a law
  14. row — to paddle
  15. object — an aim
  16. cap — a lid
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. rock — music
  19. branch — a division
  20. object — to protest
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. rock — a stone
  24. bore — to tire

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