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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lie · cap · stock · charge · dip · tube · pitch · leaves

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cap — a hat
  4. stock — goods
  5. pitch — completely
  6. dip — to sink
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. lie — to recline
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. stock — shares
  12. charge — a price
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. cap — of ice
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. tube — a container
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. charge — in control
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. tube — the underground
  24. leaves — lets stay

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