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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. mug — a face
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. mug — to rob
  7. pitch — completely
  8. mug — a cup
  9. march — the month
  10. ball — a dance
  11. march — music
  12. rest — what's left
  13. staff — employees
  14. ball — a great time
  15. staff — employees
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rest — a break
  19. staff — a stick
  20. bulb — for light
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. capital — a city
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. march — the month

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