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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. rock — music
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. chip — for betting
  9. chip — to eat
  10. stock — goods
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. capital — a city
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. capital — money
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. swing — to play on
  18. swing — in golf
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. rock — a stone
  21. stock — shares
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. swing — music

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