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: cap · tear · charge · ball · kid · foot · rush · season

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — a measure
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. cap — a hat
  5. cap — a lid
  6. ball — a great time
  7. kid — to tease
  8. charge — a price
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. season — of the year
  11. rush — hurry
  12. cap — of ice
  13. tear — from crying
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. charge — electricity
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. charge — in control
  19. tear — from crying
  20. kid — child
  21. season — in sport
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. tear — to rip
  24. ball — a dance

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