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: squash · dip · current · bound · mate · present · tube · capital

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bound — certain
  4. present — a gift
  5. capital — a city
  6. tube — the underground
  7. present — there
  8. current — of water
  9. present — the time now
  10. mate — a partner
  11. tube — a container
  12. current — electric
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. squash — to crush
  15. bound — obliged
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. bound — tied together
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mate — to breed
  20. squash — the sport
  21. current — happening now
  22. capital — money
  23. dip — to sink
  24. tube — in a tire

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