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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. capital — a city
  3. pound — a weight
  4. rest — what's left
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. rest — a break
  8. capital — money
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. field — farmland
  11. field — a subject
  12. suit — to fit
  13. rest — what's left
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. suit — clothes
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. rule — government
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. suit — in cards
  22. rule — a law
  23. deal — to handle
  24. field — for sport

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