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: mark · season · stick · pound · ball · capital · date · firm

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mark — a grade
  4. pound — a weight
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — a company
  7. season — of the year
  8. firm — decided
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. capital — a city
  11. capital — money
  12. ball — a great time
  13. date — the fruit
  14. ball — a dance
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. season — in sport
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. mark — a trace
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. ball — a round shape

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