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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  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. season — in sport
  2. drill — army training
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. firm — steady
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. firm — a company
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. lie — to recline
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. fork — in a road
  18. drill — the tool
  19. firm — decided
  20. season — of the year
  21. capital — a city
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. drill — a practice
  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