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

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  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. wave — with your hand
  2. mug — a cup
  3. chair — a leader
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. bank — for money
  6. capital — a city
  7. bank — of a river
  8. hand — help
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. capital — money
  11. mug — to rob
  12. game — wild animals
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. mug — a face
  18. bank — for money
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. hand — in cards
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. game — a match
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  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