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: firm · pitcher · stick · date · jam · perch · tear · capital

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. capital — a city
  3. perch — the fish
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. firm — decided
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. firm — steady
  12. tear — to rip
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. date — the fruit
  17. tear — from crying
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. capital — money
  24. firm — a company

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