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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. mug — a face
  3. mug — a cup
  4. chip — for betting
  5. mug — to rob
  6. lean — thin
  7. bear — the animal
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. capital — a city
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. chip — to eat
  15. lean — to bend
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. pass — a permit
  18. face — to point toward
  19. capital — money
  20. face — to confront
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. face — part of the head
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pass — to spend time

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