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: trunk · object · arm · deal · capital · kid · suit · stock

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. capital — money
  3. suit — to fit
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. stock — shares
  9. suit — in cards
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. stock — goods
  12. deal — to handle
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. suit — clothes
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. object — to protest
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. object — a thing
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. object — an aim
  23. capital — a city
  24. kid — to tease

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