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 120 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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. capital — a city
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bass — low music
  7. wound — an injury
  8. present — a gift
  9. present — there
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. cue — for pool
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cue — a hint
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. bass — the fish
  20. capital — money
  21. present — the time now
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. arm — part of the body

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