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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. chest — a box
  3. stock — goods
  4. mug — a cup
  5. capital — a city
  6. mug — a face
  7. mug — to rob
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. staff — a stick
  10. stock — shares
  11. cue — a signal
  12. tear — from crying
  13. chest — of your body
  14. staff — employees
  15. cue — a hint
  16. staff — employees
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. tear — from crying
  20. chest — of your body
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. tear — to rip
  23. branch — a division
  24. cue — for pool

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