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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. capital — a city
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. wound — an injury
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. wound — an injury
  7. capital — money
  8. kid — child
  9. present — the time now
  10. bulb — for light
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bulb — for light
  14. suit — to fit
  15. present — there
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. kid — to tease
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. present — a gift
  20. suit — clothes
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. suit — in cards
  24. stand — to bear

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