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: capital · mug · foot · fall · pit · mouse · wound · ground

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. capital — a city
  4. fall — to drop
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mug — a face
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. fall — the season
  11. pit — in a race
  12. ground — a position
  13. pit — a hole
  14. capital — money
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. foot — a measure
  17. wound — an injury
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. mug — to rob
  21. fall — to drop
  22. ground — the earth
  23. ground — crushed
  24. mouse — the animal

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