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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. cap — of ice
  3. prune — to trim
  4. track — a path
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. fine — high quality
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. track — a song
  11. swing — music
  12. swing — to play on
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. swing — in golf
  15. prune — to trim
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. game — wild animals
  18. game — a match
  19. track — to keep track
  20. cap — a hat
  21. fine — all right
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. leaves — lets stay

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