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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. capital — a city
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. tube — the underground
  8. scale — size or range
  9. board — to get on
  10. hand — in cards
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. board — a committee
  13. scale — in music
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. bear — the animal
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. hand — help
  18. roll — a list
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. tube — a container
  21. roll — a cake
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. capital — money

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