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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. charge — electricity
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. capital — a city
  6. charge — in control
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. charge — a price
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. tear — to rip
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. pound — a weight
  17. chip — for betting
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. tear — from crying
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. chip — to eat
  22. snap — to click
  23. tear — from crying
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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