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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. capital — a city
  4. squash — the sport
  5. suit — clothes
  6. track — to keep track
  7. stand — to bear
  8. cell — in biology
  9. game — wild animals
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. suit — to fit
  13. track — a song
  14. suit — in cards
  15. cell — a phone
  16. track — a path
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. capital — money
  19. squash — to crush
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. game — a match

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