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 120 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: club · staff · game · bulb · cap · mate · pass · dip

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. club — for dancing
  3. mate — a partner
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. club — a group
  6. mate — to breed
  7. game — a match
  8. cap — a lid
  9. pass — a permit
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. dip — to sink
  12. cap — of ice
  13. game — wild animals
  14. bulb — for light
  15. staff — employees
  16. bulb — for light
  17. staff — a stick
  18. mate — a friend
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. club — for golf
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. staff — employees
  24. dip — a sauce

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