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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. mark — a grade
  3. can — to be able to
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. cap — a hat
  6. shower — rain
  7. shower — to wash
  8. bound — certain
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bound — obliged
  11. ball — a dance
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. roll — a cake
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. can — a tin
  16. rest — a break
  17. roll — a list
  18. can — a tin
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. cap — of ice
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bound — tied together
  23. cap — a lid
  24. mark — a trace

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