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: pitch · fan · fall · cold · lash · jam · mouse · cap

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. cold — not warm
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. fall — to drop
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. cap — of ice
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. cap — a hat
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. cold — an illness
  22. cap — a lid
  23. pitch — completely
  24. mouse — for a computer

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