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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. spell — magic
  4. cap — a hat
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pit — in a race
  12. spell — letters
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. cap — of ice
  17. pit — a hole
  18. kick — in football
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. spell — a short time
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. cap — a lid

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