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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. lean — thin
  3. capital — a city
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. band — a music group
  6. bat — the animal
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. capital — money
  11. suit — to fit
  12. tube — the underground
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. tube — a container
  15. band — a ring
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. lean — to bend
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. suit — clothes

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