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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. degree — temperature
  4. last — to go on
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. capital — money
  7. degree — an amount
  8. suit — to fit
  9. capital — a city
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. rest — what's left
  14. suit — in cards
  15. rest — what's left
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. last — final
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. degree — from a university
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. last — finally
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. rest — a break

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