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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. ground — a position
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. capital — a city
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. object — an aim
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. ground — the earth
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. object — to protest
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. ground — crushed
  15. object — a thing
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. capital — money

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