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: craft · capital · leaves · pit · kick · roll · fall · fine

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. pit — in a race
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. pit — a hole
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. roll — a list
  7. fall — to drop
  8. roll — a cake
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. capital — a city
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. craft — boats
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. fall — the season
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. capital — money
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — in football
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. craft — a skill
  21. fall — to drop
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. fine — all right

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