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 beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. charge — in control
  5. roll — a cake
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. charge — electricity
  8. roll — a list
  9. capital — money
  10. charge — a price
  11. current — happening now
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. current — electric
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. capital — a city
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. chair — a leader
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. current — of water
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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