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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  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. scale — for weighing
  2. cap — a hat
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. toast — bread
  5. board — to get on
  6. cap — of ice
  7. scale — in music
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. mark — a grade
  11. scale — size or range
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. cap — a lid
  14. band — a music group
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. band — a ring
  17. wake — a trail
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. board — a committee
  23. mark — a trace
  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