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 116 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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. pound — a weight
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. prune — to trim
  5. current — happening now
  6. current — of water
  7. cap — of ice
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. kick — in football
  11. saw — the tool
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. cap — a lid
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. current — electric
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. saw — the tool
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. prune — to trim
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. pound — to hit hard

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