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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. capital — money
  3. drill — the tool
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. chip — to eat
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. stand — to bear
  11. drill — a practice
  12. perch — the fish
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. chip — for betting
  17. drill — army training
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. capital — a city

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