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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. can — a tin
  5. cap — a hat
  6. firm — steady
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. firm — decided
  10. rash — a series
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. cold — not warm
  15. cap — of ice
  16. rash — hasty
  17. firm — a company
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. cap — a lid
  20. can — a tin
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. cold — an illness
  23. can — to be able to
  24. safe — out of danger

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