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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. suit — in cards
  3. craft — a skill
  4. fall — the season
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bore — to drill
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cap — a lid
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. craft — boats
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. tube — the underground
  14. fall — to drop
  15. tube — a container
  16. fall — to drop
  17. wake — a trail
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. deal — to handle

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