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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. saw — the tool
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wound — an injury
  9. capital — money
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. bulb — for light
  13. chair — a leader
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bulb — for light
  22. saw — the tool
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. prune — to trim

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