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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. wake — a trail
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. capital — a city
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. staff — a stick
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. prune — to trim
  12. staff — employees
  13. prune — to trim
  14. cap — of ice
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. cap — a hat
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. staff — employees
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. ball — a great time
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. capital — money
  24. ball — a dance

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