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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. face — part of the head
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. file — a tool
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. cap — of ice
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. game — wild animals
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. pitch — completely
  13. stock — shares
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. face — to point toward
  16. face — to confront
  17. file — a line of people
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. file — a document
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. game — a match
  23. cap — a hat
  24. stock — goods

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