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 had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. cold — not warm
  4. cap — a lid
  5. cap — a hat
  6. club — a group
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. club — for golf
  9. pop — music
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. cap — of ice
  12. spring — a coil
  13. club — for dancing
  14. pop — soda
  15. spring — the season
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. spring — of water
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. stand — to bear
  24. pop — to visit

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