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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. cold — an illness
  3. mug — a face
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. cold — not warm
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. mug — to rob
  11. bear — the animal
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. cap — a lid
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. bear — the animal
  16. vault — a safe
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. cap — of ice
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. toast — bread
  24. mug — a cup

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