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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. track — a path
  5. cap — a lid
  6. can — a tin
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. track — a song
  9. capital — a city
  10. capital — money
  11. can — a tin
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cap — of ice
  14. can — to be able to
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. chip — to eat
  17. chip — for betting
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. roll — a list
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. track — to keep track

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