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 116 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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. present — a gift
  3. capital — a city
  4. present — the time now
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bass — low music
  7. charge — in control
  8. rush — hurry
  9. can — a tin
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — to fit
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. capital — money
  21. present — there
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. charge — a price

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