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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. file — a tool
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. file — a line of people
  14. bass — the fish
  15. pit — in a race
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. file — a document
  20. pit — a hole
  21. bass — low music
  22. capital — a city
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. plane — a 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