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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. saw — the tool
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. can — a tin
  9. capital — money
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — to bear
  12. capital — a city
  13. squash — to crush
  14. can — to be able to
  15. march — the month
  16. can — a tin
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. march — the month
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. march — music
  21. saw — the tool
  22. squash — the sport
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wake — a trail

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