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 120 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: chair · stick · cabinet · trunk · pop · lie · lash · capital

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. pop — music
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pop — to visit
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. capital — a city
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. capital — money
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pop — soda
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. lie — to recline
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. chair — a leader
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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