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: foot · swing · hide · snap · capital · board · sharp · bulb

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. sharp — clever
  4. bulb — for light
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. board — to get on
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. capital — a city
  11. board — a committee
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. snap — to click
  14. bulb — for light
  15. swing — music
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. swing — to play on
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. capital — money
  24. foot — a measure

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