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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. tube — a container
  3. bank — of a river
  4. fall — the season
  5. charge — a price
  6. bank — for money
  7. fall — to drop
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. capital — a city
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bank — for money
  19. charge — in control
  20. bore — to tire
  21. tube — the underground
  22. stem — to come from
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. capital — money

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