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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. march — music
  3. dip — to sink
  4. ball — a great time
  5. cap — a lid
  6. present — the time now
  7. ball — a dance
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. march — the month
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. present — there
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. cap — of ice
  17. kick — in football
  18. present — a gift
  19. march — the month
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. kick — with a leg

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