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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. capital — money
  3. pitch — completely
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. rash — hasty
  7. deal — to handle
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. fall — the season
  11. board — to get on
  12. fall — to drop
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. roll — a cake
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. roll — a list
  18. capital — a city
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. foot — a measure
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. rash — a series
  24. board — a committee

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