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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. object — a thing
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. fine — high quality
  6. spring — a coil
  7. cap — a hat
  8. cap — of ice
  9. charge — a price
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. object — to protest
  12. pit — a hole
  13. toast — bread
  14. cap — a lid
  15. object — an aim
  16. charge — electricity
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pit — in a race
  21. fine — all right
  22. charge — in control
  23. spring — the season
  24. pitcher — a jug

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