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 120 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: bay · ball · patient · cap · cabinet · tube · fan · band

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. cap — a lid
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. cap — a hat
  6. tube — a container
  7. ball — a dance
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cap — of ice
  11. band — a music group
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. band — a ring
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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