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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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. jam — a tight spot
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bat — the animal
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. rock — a stone
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. rock — music
  18. bear — the animal
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. capital — a city
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. capital — money
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. chair — a leader

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