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 120 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've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. firm — decided
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. firm — a company
  6. capital — money
  7. pass — a permit
  8. hand — in cards
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — to trim
  12. spell — letters
  13. hand — help
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. spell — magic
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. can — a tin
  19. branch — a division
  20. firm — steady
  21. can — a tin
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. can — to be able to
  24. capital — a city

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