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 116 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: rash · capital · sharp · staff · bulb · suit · hand · pop

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. rash — a series
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. staff — employees
  5. capital — a city
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. staff — a stick
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. pop — to visit
  11. bulb — for light
  12. suit — in cards
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. bulb — for light
  15. staff — employees
  16. pop — music
  17. suit — to fit
  18. hand — help
  19. pop — soda
  20. sharp — clever
  21. hand — in cards
  22. suit — clothes
  23. rash — hasty
  24. capital — money

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