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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. bank — of a river
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. march — the month
  7. bank — for money
  8. rest — a break
  9. rest — what's left
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. can — to be able to
  12. capital — money
  13. march — music
  14. race — humankind
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. can — a tin
  17. march — the month
  18. race — the arms race
  19. capital — a city
  20. race — a contest
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bank — for money
  23. can — a tin
  24. pass — to succeed

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