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: racket · suit · game · capital · bound · pass · fan · calf

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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. suit — clothes
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — a permit
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. bound — obliged
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bound — certain
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. game — wild animals
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bound — tied together
  20. capital — money
  21. game — a match
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. suit — in cards
  24. racket — a loud noise

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