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: fine · hand · cap · fan · wax · toast · bear · pitcher

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. cap — a lid
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fine — all right
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cap — of ice
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. hand — help
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bear — the animal
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. toast — bread
  16. hand — in cards
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wax — to grow
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bear — the animal

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