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: fan · foot · mouse · safe · cap · object · cabinet · pound

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. cap — a lid
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. object — to protest
  11. foot — a measure
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. cap — of ice
  15. object — a thing
  16. pound — a weight
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. object — an aim

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