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: cap · prune · vault · suit · coach · capital · kid · fall

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. capital — a city
  4. suit — to fit
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. prune — to trim
  7. cap — of ice
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. vault — a safe
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. kid — child
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. fall — to drop
  15. suit — in cards
  16. capital — money
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cap — a hat
  19. kid — to tease
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. prune — to trim
  22. fall — to drop
  23. suit — clothes
  24. fall — the season

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