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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. bank — for money
  3. mark — a grade
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. club — for golf
  6. wind — moving air
  7. object — an aim
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. wake — a trail
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. club — a group
  13. object — a thing
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. wind — moving air
  16. club — for dancing
  17. mark — a trace
  18. capital — money
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. bank — for money
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. bank — of a river
  24. object — to protest

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