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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. bank — of a river
  3. scale — in music
  4. bank — for money
  5. fall — the season
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. fall — to drop
  8. suit — in cards
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. capital — money
  11. suit — clothes
  12. scale — size or range
  13. game — wild animals
  14. staff — employees
  15. bank — for money
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. fall — to drop
  18. staff — employees
  19. suit — to fit
  20. staff — a stick
  21. capital — a city
  22. game — a match
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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