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. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. pop — soda
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. tube — a container
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mate — a partner
  9. tube — the underground
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. cap — of ice
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. pop — to visit
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. pop — music
  21. cap — a hat
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. mate — a friend
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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