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: rule · fork · jam · bear · bat · foot · capital · ruler

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. rule — a law
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. capital — money
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. bat — the animal
  12. capital — a city
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. foot — a measure
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. fork — in a road
  20. rule — government
  21. bear — the animal
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bat — in an idiom

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