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: face · snap · dip · cap · mug · net · leaves · tube

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. tube — the underground
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. face — to confront
  7. face — part of the head
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. mug — to rob
  10. dip — to sink
  11. cap — a lid
  12. face — to point toward
  13. net — in sport
  14. net — for catching
  15. tube — a container
  16. snap — to click
  17. net — after costs
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. mug — a cup
  20. mug — a face
  21. cap — of ice
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. cap — a hat

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