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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. spell — magic
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. club — for golf
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — to handle
  11. spell — a short time
  12. club — a group
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. roll — a cake
  15. cap — a lid
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. spell — letters
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. cap — of ice
  20. club — for dancing
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. roll — a list
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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