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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. face — part of the head
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. content — happy
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — of ice
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. content — the amount
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. face — to confront
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. face — to point toward
  16. kick — in football
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. pass — a permit
  19. stem — to come from
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. cap — a hat
  24. kick — with a leg

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