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: present · capital · board · leaves · jam · can · face · race

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. can — to be able to
  4. present — the time now
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. present — there
  7. face — to confront
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. capital — money
  13. face — part of the head
  14. race — the arms race
  15. race — humankind
  16. race — a contest
  17. face — to point toward
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. present — a gift
  20. capital — a city
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. board — to get on
  23. board — a committee
  24. can — a tin

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