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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. cap — a hat
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. rock — a stone
  7. cap — of ice
  8. rock — music
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. board — a committee
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. cap — a lid
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. craft — boats
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. craft — a skill
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. capital — money
  21. board — to get on
  22. lean — thin
  23. capital — a city
  24. snap — to click

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