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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. capital — a city
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. face — to point toward
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. capital — money
  8. face — to confront
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — a price
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. charge — in control
  13. wake — a trail
  14. swing — music
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. face — part of the head
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. swing — in golf
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. swing — to play on
  24. racket — a loud noise

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