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: rash · stem · cabinet · rock · swing · capital · mug · dip

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. capital — money
  3. rock — music
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. swing — in golf
  8. mug — a cup
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. swing — to play on
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. dip — to sink
  13. rash — a series
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. mug — a face
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. swing — music
  18. rash — hasty
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. capital — a city
  22. stem — to come from
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. mug — to rob

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