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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. cap — a lid
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. stand — to bear
  8. land — a country
  9. land — ground
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bass — the fish
  12. capital — a city
  13. cap — of ice
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. land — to come down
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. cap — a hat
  22. bass — low music
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. racket — for tennis

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