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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. stem — to come from
  3. capital — money
  4. club — a group
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. club — for dancing
  7. date — the fruit
  8. present — there
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. club — for golf
  17. present — the time now
  18. capital — a city
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. present — a gift
  24. fan — to cool the air

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