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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wind — moving air
  3. mark — a grade
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. cap — of ice
  7. wind — moving air
  8. face — to point toward
  9. can — a tin
  10. cap — a hat
  11. net — after costs
  12. spell — a short time
  13. face — part of the head
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. net — for catching
  16. key — in music
  17. cap — a lid
  18. mark — a trace
  19. spell — letters
  20. key — the most important part
  21. face — to confront
  22. key — for a lock
  23. net — in sport
  24. spell — magic

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