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 120 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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. cap — a hat
  3. mug — to rob
  4. band — a ring
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stock — shares
  7. net — after costs
  8. band — a music group
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. hand — help
  11. net — for catching
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. hand — in cards
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. cap — a lid
  17. stock — goods
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. cap — of ice
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. net — in sport
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mug — a cup
  24. band — a rubber band

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