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 116 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: ball · capital · cold · dip · object · hide · firm · can

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. ball — a dance
  5. capital — money
  6. firm — a company
  7. capital — a city
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. object — an aim
  10. firm — decided
  11. ball — a great time
  12. cold — an illness
  13. dip — to sink
  14. object — a thing
  15. can — a tin
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. cold — not warm
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. can — to be able to
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. can — a tin
  22. object — to protest
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. firm — steady

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