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: dip · bulb · capital · content · vault · pass · wound · fine

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. fine — high quality
  3. content — happy
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. pass — a permit
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. vault — a safe
  10. capital — money
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. fine — all right
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. content — the amount
  15. bulb — for light
  16. dip — to sink
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. wound — an injury
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. wound — an injury
  21. capital — a city
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. dip — to dunk

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