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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. pit — in a race
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. firm — decided
  7. firm — a company
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. content — happy
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. saw — the tool
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pit — a hole
  15. content — the amount
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. capital — a city
  21. foot — a measure
  22. saw — the tool
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. firm — steady

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