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 116 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: can · kid · bear · cap · saw · fork · pitch · leaves

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. kid — child
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. can — a tin
  8. fork — in a road
  9. cap — a lid
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. saw — the tool
  15. can — to be able to
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. saw — the tool
  18. can — a tin
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. pitch — completely
  21. bear — the animal
  22. cap — of ice
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. kid — to tease

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