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: rash · fork · firm · shower · capital · stick · hide · suit

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. capital — money
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. shower — to wash
  5. fork — in a road
  6. rash — a series
  7. firm — a company
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. capital — a city
  11. firm — decided
  12. shower — rain
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. suit — in cards
  18. suit — to fit
  19. firm — steady
  20. rash — hasty
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. capital — a big letter

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