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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. cap — a hat
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. cap — a lid
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. mate — a partner
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mark — a grade
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. date — the fruit
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. mate — a friend
  16. bat — the animal
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. cap — of ice
  20. mark — a trace
  21. can — a tin
  22. mate — to breed
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. bat — for baseball

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