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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  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. scale — size or range
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. suit — to fit
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. suit — in cards
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. scale — in music
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. suit — clothes
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. can — to be able to
  22. capital — a city
  23. straw — a straw man
  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