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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. chip — to eat
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. spell — a short time
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. squash — to crush
  8. kick — in football
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. bear — the animal
  12. squash — the sport
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. chip — for betting
  15. spell — magic
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. capital — money
  20. spell — letters
  21. bear — the animal
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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