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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. content — the amount
  3. ball — a great time
  4. current — of water
  5. capital — a city
  6. ball — a dance
  7. current — happening now
  8. capital — money
  9. board — to get on
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. kick — in football
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. ground — crushed
  15. ground — the earth
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. board — a committee
  20. branch — a division
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. current — electric
  23. content — happy
  24. ground — a position

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