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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. cap — a hat
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. cap — of ice
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. lean — to bend
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. pit — in a race
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. rush — hurry
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pit — a hole
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. wake — a trail
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. lean — thin
  24. nail — on a finger

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