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 · kid · pop · can · dip · fan · suit · drill

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. drill — a practice
  3. drill — the tool
  4. capital — money
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — clothes
  9. can — a tin
  10. pop — music
  11. dip — to sink
  12. capital — a city
  13. suit — to fit
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. pop — to visit
  17. can — a tin
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. can — to be able to
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pop — soda
  23. kid — to tease
  24. drill — army training

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