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: cap · capital · toast · foot · cabinet · roll · fan · stem

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. roll — a list
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. capital — a city
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. roll — a cake
  14. capital — money
  15. stem — to come from
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. cap — of ice
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cap — a lid
  21. toast — bread
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. foot — a measure
  24. cap — a hat

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