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: suit · ball · cap · game · deal · wound · scale · present

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. game — wild animals
  3. scale — size or range
  4. scale — in music
  5. present — there
  6. ball — a dance
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. present — the time now
  9. present — a gift
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. cap — of ice
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. deal — to handle
  16. wound — an injury
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ball — a great time
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. game — a match
  22. cap — a lid
  23. suit — clothes
  24. deal — a big deal

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