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: board · stand · vault · suit · land · bat · deal · capital

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — to fit
  3. stand — to bear
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. bat — the animal
  6. capital — money
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. capital — a city
  9. suit — clothes
  10. land — a country
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. deal — to handle
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. board — a committee
  15. land — ground
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. board — to get on
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. land — to come down
  24. vault — a safe

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