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: can · cap · bass · scale · ground · bear · court · leaves

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. cap — of ice
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. can — a tin
  6. scale — in music
  7. ground — a position
  8. court — of law
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. bear — the animal
  11. court — for sport
  12. scale — size or range
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. bass — low music
  15. can — to be able to
  16. ground — crushed
  17. ground — the earth
  18. bass — the fish
  19. cap — a hat
  20. court — of a king
  21. cap — a lid
  22. can — a tin
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bass — the instrument

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