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: capital · cabinet · present · chest · rest · club · fall · chip

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — the season
  4. fall — to drop
  5. capital — money
  6. chest — of your body
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. present — the time now
  10. club — a group
  11. rest — a break
  12. rest — what's left
  13. chip — for betting
  14. club — for dancing
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. chest — a box
  18. rest — what's left
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. club — for golf
  21. present — there
  22. present — a gift
  23. capital — a city
  24. cabinet — ministers

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