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 116 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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. capital — money
  3. capital — a city
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. row — to paddle
  7. wake — a trail
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. cap — of ice
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. cap — a lid
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. row — a line
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. present — a gift
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. cap — a hat
  22. deal — to handle
  23. stand — to bear
  24. present — the time now

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