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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. fork — in a road
  3. pass — a permit
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. rest — what's left
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. cap — of ice
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. branch — a division
  12. stock — goods
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. rest — what's left
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. stock — shares
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. rest — a break
  20. cap — a lid
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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