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: spell · capital · lash · chair · jam · suit · present · toast

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. capital — a city
  5. spell — a short time
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. spell — letters
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. suit — to fit
  10. chair — a leader
  11. spell — magic
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. present — the time now
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. capital — money
  17. suit — in cards
  18. toast — bread
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. suit — clothes
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. present — a gift
  24. present — there

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