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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. swing — music
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. content — the amount
  5. capital — money
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bound — tied together
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. capital — a city
  13. stand — to bear
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. swing — to play on
  16. suit — in cards
  17. content — happy
  18. rash — a series
  19. bear — the animal
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bound — obliged
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. bound — certain
  24. swing — in golf

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