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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. game — wild animals
  4. suit — to fit
  5. game — a match
  6. root — of a plant
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pop — music
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. pit — in a race
  11. suit — clothes
  12. pop — soda
  13. current — of water
  14. suit — in cards
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. capital — a city
  17. capital — money
  18. root — of a word
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. root — the cause
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. current — electric
  23. current — happening now
  24. pop — to visit

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