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: cap · track · dip · face · cell · hide · drill · rock

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. drill — the tool
  3. face — part of the head
  4. cap — a lid
  5. track — a path
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. drill — army training
  8. cap — of ice
  9. face — to point toward
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. cell — in biology
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. drill — a practice
  14. track — a song
  15. rock — music
  16. dip — to sink
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. track — to keep track
  19. face — to confront
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. cell — a phone
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. cap — a hat

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