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 116 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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  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. hide — animal skin
  2. tear — from crying
  3. fine — high quality
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. capital — money
  6. tear — from crying
  7. march — the month
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bank — for money
  12. fine — all right
  13. march — the month
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. march — music
  16. capital — a city
  17. bank — of a river
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bank — for money
  20. tear — to rip
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. mouse — the animal
  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