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: spell · stick · cap · capital · arm · sharp · fine · fan

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. cap — of ice
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. spell — magic
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. fine — all right
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. spell — a short time
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. spell — letters
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. capital — money
  20. fine — high quality
  21. capital — a city
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. sharp — clever
  24. cap — a lid

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