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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. mark — a grade
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. mark — a trace
  6. snap — to click
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. rash — a series
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. capital — money
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. rash — hasty
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. content — happy
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. lean — thin
  19. firm — steady
  20. lean — to bend
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. firm — a company
  23. content — the amount
  24. firm — decided

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