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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. bass — low music
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. staff — a stick
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. cap — a lid
  9. pop — to visit
  10. bass — the fish
  11. staff — employees
  12. rest — what's left
  13. staff — employees
  14. pop — music
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. capital — a city
  17. cap — a hat
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rule — a law
  21. rest — a break
  22. rule — government
  23. pop — soda
  24. cap — of ice

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