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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. capital — a city
  3. kid — to tease
  4. kid — child
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. staff — a stick
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. capital — money
  11. staff — employees
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — in control
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. staff — employees
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. charge — electricity
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. snap — to click
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. jam — in traffic

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