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. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. ground — a position
  3. ground — the earth
  4. capital — a city
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. scale — in music
  7. kid — child
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. rush — hurry
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rest — what's left
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. rest — what's left
  15. kid — to tease
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. ground — crushed
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. scale — size or range
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. rest — a break

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