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: cap · dip · field · roll · bound · charge · pitch · ruler

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. cap — a lid
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. bound — obliged
  7. charge — in control
  8. field — farmland
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. field — a subject
  11. bound — tied together
  12. pitch — completely
  13. cap — a hat
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — electricity
  19. roll — a list
  20. cap — of ice
  21. field — for sport
  22. bound — certain
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. roll — a cake

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