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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. game — wild animals
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. ground — a position
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. suit — clothes
  9. capital — money
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. capital — a city
  12. suit — in cards
  13. ground — the earth
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. suit — to fit
  23. pound — a weight
  24. game — a match

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