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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. bulb — for light
  3. ground — crushed
  4. field — for sport
  5. ground — the earth
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. bulb — for light
  10. capital — money
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. ground — a position
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. field — a subject
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. rock — a stone
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. deal — to handle
  22. field — farmland
  23. rock — music
  24. capital — a city

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