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 · ball · swing · firm · can · stick · shower · pitch

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. swing — in golf
  3. swing — to play on
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. capital — a city
  6. can — to be able to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. firm — a company
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. shower — to wash
  12. ball — a great time
  13. can — a tin
  14. firm — steady
  15. ball — a dance
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. swing — music
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. can — a tin
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. firm — decided
  22. pitch — completely
  23. capital — money
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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