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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. deal — to handle
  3. pit — a hole
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. capital — a city
  8. pit — in a race
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. squash — the sport
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. vault — a safe
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. squash — to crush
  23. capital — money
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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