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: capital · bulb · pit · row · rush · coach · ball · stand

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pit — in a race
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. ball — a great time
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. capital — money
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. row — a line
  18. ball — a dance
  19. capital — a city
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. rush — hurry
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. stand — to bear
  24. row — to paddle

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