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: stand · bay · deal · bass · fan · degree · capital · racket

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. bass — low music
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. capital — a city
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. stand — to bear
  9. degree — an amount
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. degree — from a university
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. degree — temperature
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bass — the fish
  20. capital — money
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. capital — a big letter

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