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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. pit — in a race
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. tear — from crying
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. court — for sport
  7. cap — a hat
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. tear — from crying
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. cap — of ice
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. dip — to sink
  15. court — of a king
  16. bulb — for light
  17. court — of law
  18. pit — a hole
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. tear — to rip
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. calf — of the leg

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