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 120 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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. cap — a hat
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. scale — in music
  5. object — an aim
  6. cap — of ice
  7. club — a group
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. root — of a word
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. march — the month
  12. root — of a plant
  13. march — the month
  14. root — the cause
  15. march — music
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. object — to protest
  18. object — a thing
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. club — for dancing
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. club — for golf
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. cap — a lid

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