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 120 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 · bass · rush · dip · kid · cabinet · ruler · bear

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. rush — hurry
  3. capital — a city
  4. kid — to tease
  5. bear — the animal
  6. dip — to sink
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. kid — child
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. bass — the fish
  21. capital — money
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bear — the animal
  24. ruler — for measuring

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