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 · bark · bear · cap · bass · capital · ball · can

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bear — the animal
  5. capital — money
  6. bark — to shout
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. can — a tin
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. can — a tin
  13. capital — a city
  14. can — to be able to
  15. cap — a lid
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. cap — a hat
  18. bass — the fish
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. foot — a measure
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. cap — of ice
  23. bass — low music
  24. ball — a dance

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