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 beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. cap — of ice
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. snap — to click
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. cap — a hat
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. cap — a lid
  10. fine — high quality
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. capital — money
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. pass — a permit
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. capital — a city
  18. craft — boats
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. craft — a skill
  21. pitch — completely
  22. fine — all right
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. wave — of the sea

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