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: perch · straw · fan · ruler · capital · game · rock · chest

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. chest — of your body
  4. game — a match
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. rock — music
  11. chest — a box
  12. rock — a stone
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. perch — the fish
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. capital — money
  17. chest — of your body
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. game — wild animals
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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