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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. capital — a city
  3. toast — bread
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. rock — a stone
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. rock — music
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. deal — to handle
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. bat — the animal
  19. craft — boats
  20. rest — what's left
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. capital — money

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