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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. file — a document
  5. last — final
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. bear — the animal
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. last — finally
  10. bear — the animal
  11. last — to go on
  12. cue — a signal
  13. tube — the underground
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. perch — the fish
  16. file — a tool
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. file — a line of people
  20. cue — for pool
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. tube — a container
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cue — a hint

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