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 120 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: suit · root · bay · capital · hand · stand · court · bat

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. root — the cause
  3. root — of a word
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. suit — in cards
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. capital — money
  9. court — of law
  10. court — for sport
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. hand — in cards
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. suit — to fit
  16. hand — help
  17. capital — a city
  18. root — of a plant
  19. court — of a king
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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