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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. cap — a lid
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. can — to be able to
  10. capital — a city
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. can — a tin
  13. stock — shares
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. can — a tin
  17. cap — of ice
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. cap — a hat
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. stock — goods
  22. dip — to sink
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. foot — a measure

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