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: club · cap · suit · kid · sharp · deal · hide · board

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  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. cap — of ice
  2. cap — a hat
  3. sharp — clever
  4. suit — in cards
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. club — for golf
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. club — a group
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a committee
  17. kid — child
  18. club — for dancing
  19. kid — to tease
  20. suit — to fit
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. suit — clothes
  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