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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. bass — the fish
  3. cap — a hat
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. degree — an amount
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. cap — of ice
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. stock — shares
  10. degree — from a university
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bass — low music
  14. degree — temperature
  15. ground — a position
  16. ground — the earth
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. lie — to recline
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. ground — crushed
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. stock — goods

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