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: chair · mouse · race · band · leaves · ball · cap · fan

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. cap — of ice
  3. ball — a great time
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. cap — a hat
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. race — humankind
  10. cap — a lid
  11. band — a ring
  12. chair — a leader
  13. race — the arms race
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. ball — a dance
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. band — a music group
  18. race — a contest
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. band — a rubber band

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