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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. pop — to visit
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. cap — a hat
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. race — a contest
  9. club — for dancing
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pop — music
  12. race — the arms race
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. row — a line
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pop — soda
  18. row — to paddle
  19. cap — of ice
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. club — a group
  22. club — for golf
  23. scale — size or range
  24. race — humankind

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