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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ruler · capital · present · jam · object · pitch

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. present — a gift
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. pitch — completely
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. capital — money
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. object — to protest
  11. present — the time now
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. capital — a city
  14. present — there
  15. object — a thing
  16. object — an aim
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. ruler — a monarch

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