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: squash · capital · fan · leaves · foot · trunk · cue · firm

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. firm — a company
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. cue — a hint
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. cue — for pool
  10. squash — the sport
  11. foot — a measure
  12. capital — a city
  13. capital — money
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. firm — decided
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. cue — a signal
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. squash — to crush
  23. firm — steady
  24. trunk — of a tree

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