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 · toast · capital · mug · bulb · jam · row · firm

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. pit — a hole
  3. capital — a city
  4. firm — steady
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. firm — decided
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. mug — to rob
  11. row — a line
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. toast — bread
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. bulb — for light
  16. mug — a face
  17. capital — money
  18. pit — in a race
  19. row — to paddle
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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