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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. press — a publisher
  3. press — newspapers
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. cap — of ice
  6. stock — shares
  7. last — finally
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. craft — boats
  11. stock — goods
  12. cap — a lid
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stand — to bear
  15. mark — a grade
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. last — to go on
  19. press — to push
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. mark — a trace
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. last — final

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