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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. cap — a hat
  4. scale — in music
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. capital — a city
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. scale — size or range
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. cap — a lid
  19. capital — money
  20. cap — of ice
  21. squash — to crush
  22. squash — the sport
  23. sharp — clever
  24. capital — a big letter

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