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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. squash — the sport
  3. mug — to rob
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. squash — to crush
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. mug — a face
  11. capital — money
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. mug — a cup
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. rush — hurry
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. capital — a city
  24. mouse — the animal

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