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 116 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: face · cap · pound · squash · craft · mug · cabinet · rule

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. face — to point toward
  5. squash — to crush
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cap — a lid
  8. face — part of the head
  9. rule — government
  10. mug — to rob
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. mug — a face
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. rule — a law
  15. pound — a weight
  16. mug — a cup
  17. craft — a skill
  18. cap — a hat
  19. craft — boats
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. squash — the sport
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. face — to confront

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