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 120 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: file · mug · ground · calf · capital · ruler · hand · fan

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. capital — a city
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ground — a position
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. mug — a cup
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. file — a line of people
  11. ground — the earth
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. hand — in cards
  14. ground — crushed
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. file — a tool
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. mug — a face
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. file — a document
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. mug — to rob
  24. hand — help

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