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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. capital — money
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. capital — a city
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. pit — in a race
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. face — to confront
  12. ball — a dance
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. staff — employees
  16. pit — a hole
  17. staff — a stick
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. staff — employees
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. face — part of the head
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. face — to point toward

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