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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. cue — for pool
  3. capital — a city
  4. race — humankind
  5. object — an aim
  6. chip — for betting
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. cue — a signal
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. court — of a king
  15. object — to protest
  16. court — for sport
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. court — of law
  19. capital — money
  20. chip — to eat
  21. race — the arms race
  22. object — a thing
  23. cue — a hint
  24. race — a contest

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