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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. capital — a city
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. prune — to trim
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. capital — money
  7. suit — in cards
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — clothes
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bore — to drill
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. fork — in a road
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. bore — to tire

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