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 116 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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. capital — a city
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. capital — money
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. cold — an illness
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ground — the earth
  15. field — farmland
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. ground — a position
  18. field — for sport
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. field — a subject
  21. cold — not warm
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. ground — crushed
  24. leaves — lets stay

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