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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ground — crushed
  3. capital — money
  4. board — to get on
  5. deal — to handle
  6. swing — music
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. ground — the earth
  9. ball — a dance
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. spell — letters
  12. tube — a container
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. capital — a city
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. swing — to play on
  17. ball — a great time
  18. board — a committee
  19. spell — a short time
  20. tube — the underground
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. spell — magic
  23. ground — a position
  24. swing — in golf

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