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: season · cap · can · perch · fan · snap · cold · key

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. season — in sport
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. cold — not warm
  6. can — to be able to
  7. key — in music
  8. can — a tin
  9. cap — a hat
  10. cap — of ice
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. key — the most important part
  14. season — of the year
  15. key — for a lock
  16. snap — to click
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. cap — a lid
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. cold — an illness
  21. can — a tin
  22. perch — the fish
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. perch — for a bird

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