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: bass · bear · ground · cap · mark · calf · staff · nail

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. staff — employees
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. bass — low music
  6. bear — the animal
  7. cap — a lid
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. ground — crushed
  12. ground — a position
  13. staff — a stick
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. mark — a trace
  16. cap — a hat
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bass — the fish
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. ground — the earth
  22. mark — a grade
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. staff — employees

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