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 120 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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. charge — in control
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. capital — money
  5. season — of the year
  6. charge — a price
  7. season — in sport
  8. charge — electricity
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mate — to breed
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. mate — a friend
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mate — a partner
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. club — a group
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. club — for golf
  21. club — for dancing
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. mark — a grade
  24. capital — a city

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