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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. mark — a grade
  5. object — a thing
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. board — a committee
  8. shower — rain
  9. capital — a city
  10. object — an aim
  11. capital — money
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. object — to protest
  14. mark — a trace
  15. board — to get on
  16. swing — in golf
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. shower — to wash
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. swing — music
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. safe — out of danger

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