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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. bank — of a river
  3. spring — a coil
  4. bank — for money
  5. cue — a signal
  6. charge — electricity
  7. cue — a hint
  8. craft — boats
  9. charge — in control
  10. face — to confront
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. face — to point toward
  13. spring — the season
  14. cue — for pool
  15. spring — of water
  16. craft — a skill
  17. charge — a price
  18. mug — to rob
  19. bank — for money
  20. capital — money
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mug — a face
  23. face — part of the head
  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