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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. capital — a city
  4. ground — the earth
  5. roll — a cake
  6. bound — certain
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bound — obliged
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. ground — crushed
  15. lie — to recline
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stand — to bear
  19. bound — tied together
  20. rule — a law
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. roll — a list
  23. ground — a position
  24. rule — government

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