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

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  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. cap — a lid
  2. chest — of your body
  3. chest — of your body
  4. bound — certain
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. capital — money
  7. charge — in control
  8. bound — tied together
  9. charge — electricity
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. bound — obliged
  17. chest — a box
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. capital — a city
  20. toast — bread
  21. cap — of ice
  22. charge — a price
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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