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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. key — for a lock
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. net — after costs
  10. key — in music
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a lid
  13. key — the most important part
  14. craft — a skill
  15. pitch — completely
  16. net — for catching
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. craft — boats
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. net — in sport

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