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: capital · bowl · stand · object · ball · current · content · cabinet

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. current — happening now
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. object — a thing
  9. content — the amount
  10. content — happy
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. object — to protest
  14. ball — a great time
  15. capital — a city
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. stand — to bear
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. object — an aim
  21. current — of water
  22. current — electric
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. stand — for spectators

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