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: pit · rash · capital · mouse · kid · rush · rock · stick

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. pit — in a race
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. capital — money
  7. rock — music
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. kid — child
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. capital — a city
  13. pit — a hole
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. rush — hurry
  19. kid — to tease
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rock — a stone
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rash — a series

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