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: pop · capital · rest · chair · suit · jam · leaves · temple

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. suit — to fit
  5. rest — what's left
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. suit — clothes
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. rest — what's left
  12. capital — money
  13. suit — in cards
  14. chair — a leader
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. rest — a break
  19. pop — music
  20. capital — a city
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. pop — soda
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. temple — side of the head

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