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 beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. chip — for betting
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. pound — a weight
  9. capital — money
  10. drill — a practice
  11. face — to confront
  12. face — to point toward
  13. capital — a city
  14. drill — the tool
  15. fork — in a road
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. drill — army training
  19. chip — to eat
  20. face — part of the head
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fork — a garden tool

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