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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — all right
  4. cap — a hat
  5. cold — an illness
  6. can — a tin
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. fine — high quality
  10. cap — a lid
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. cold — not warm
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. bore — to drill
  16. craft — boats
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. bore — to tire
  19. craft — a skill
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. can — to be able to
  22. dip — to sink
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. can — a tin

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