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: dip · season · track · bat · arm · stand · fine · cap

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. bat — the animal
  3. cap — a hat
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. season — of the year
  6. cap — of ice
  7. track — a song
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. fine — all right
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. cap — a lid
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. track — to keep track
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. dip — to sink
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. track — a path
  23. stand — to bear
  24. fine — high quality

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