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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. rest — a break
  5. capital — a city
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bass — the fish
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. capital — money
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. bass — low music
  15. foot — a measure
  16. object — to protest
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. squash — the sport
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. squash — to crush
  21. object — an aim
  22. rest — what's left
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. object — a thing

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