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 120 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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. spell — a short time
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. rest — a break
  9. spell — letters
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bat — the animal
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. rest — what's left
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. spell — magic
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. capital — money
  20. capital — a city
  21. bore — to drill
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. rest — what's left

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