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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. mark — a grade
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. cap — a lid
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. cap — of ice
  8. cap — a hat
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. scale — in music
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. last — finally
  15. foot — a measure
  16. spring — of water
  17. pass — a permit
  18. last — to go on
  19. last — final
  20. spring — a coil
  21. mark — a trace
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. spring — the season
  24. mark — to pay attention

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