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 120 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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. mark — a trace
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. firm — a company
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. cap — a hat
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. firm — decided
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. cap — of ice
  14. deal — to handle
  15. drill — a practice
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. drill — the tool
  19. ball — a dance
  20. mark — a grade
  21. firm — steady
  22. drill — army training
  23. ball — a great time
  24. arm — part of the body

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