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

Word bank: cap · nail · kid · drill · dip · toast · can · perch

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. drill — a practice
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. drill — army training
  8. dip — to sink
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. cap — of ice
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. can — a tin
  13. kid — to tease
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. can — a tin
  16. cap — a lid
  17. toast — bread
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. kid — child
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. cap — a hat
  23. drill — the tool
  24. can — to be able 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