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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. object — to protest
  5. prune — to trim
  6. capital — a city
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bear — the animal
  9. capital — money
  10. fine — all right
  11. object — an aim
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. board — a committee
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. board — to get on
  17. bear — the animal
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. object — a thing
  21. dip — to sink
  22. fine — high quality
  23. kick — in football
  24. board — a flat piece

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