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: swing · capital · bear · scale · drill · calf · charge · foot

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. swing — in golf
  3. bear — the animal
  4. charge — electricity
  5. capital — money
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. drill — a practice
  10. charge — in control
  11. drill — the tool
  12. swing — music
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. swing — to play on
  15. scale — size or range
  16. bear — the animal
  17. foot — a measure
  18. scale — in music
  19. capital — a city
  20. drill — army training
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. charge — a price
  24. calf — of the leg

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