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: hide · cap · lie · capital · charge · fork · object · straw

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. cap — a lid
  3. fork — in a road
  4. cap — of ice
  5. lie — to recline
  6. object — to protest
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. charge — in control
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. cap — a hat
  13. object — an aim
  14. charge — electricity
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. object — a thing
  21. capital — money
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. capital — a city
  24. charge — a price

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