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: pop · craft · season · wound · charge · cap · cue · tube

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. cap — of ice
  3. pop — to visit
  4. tube — the underground
  5. season — of the year
  6. pop — music
  7. charge — electricity
  8. pop — soda
  9. charge — in control
  10. wound — an injury
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. craft — a skill
  13. charge — a price
  14. cue — for pool
  15. season — in sport
  16. wound — an injury
  17. cap — a lid
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cue — a signal
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. tube — a container
  23. cap — a hat
  24. craft — a handicraft

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