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 · bat · scale · straw · dip · trunk · bay · safe

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. capital — money
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. scale — in music
  13. capital — a city
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. scale — size or range
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bat — the animal
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. dip — to sink
  24. safe — a strongbox

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