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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. fine — all right
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. track — a path
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. lean — thin
  7. track — to keep track
  8. lean — to bend
  9. track — a song
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. cold — an illness
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. current — happening now
  14. rule — government
  15. bass — the fish
  16. cap — of ice
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. current — of water
  19. cap — a lid
  20. cold — not warm
  21. rule — a law
  22. fine — high quality
  23. bass — low music
  24. current — electric

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