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: bowl · lash · season · land · suit · capital · lie · stand

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. capital — a city
  3. season — in sport
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. suit — clothes
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. land — ground
  13. season — of the year
  14. lie — to recline
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. stand — to bear
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. land — a country
  21. land — to come down
  22. suit — in cards
  23. capital — money
  24. season — to add flavour

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