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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. suit — clothes
  4. capital — a city
  5. file — a document
  6. cap — a hat
  7. file — a line of people
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — to fit
  11. content — happy
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — to trim
  14. content — the amount
  15. capital — money
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. rule — government
  18. file — a tool
  19. cap — a lid
  20. rule — a law
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. cap — of ice
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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