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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. club — a group
  3. bank — for money
  4. present — there
  5. club — for golf
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. swing — music
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. present — a gift
  13. present — the time now
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. swing — to play on
  16. sharp — clever
  17. capital — money
  18. capital — a city
  19. club — for dancing
  20. bank — of a river
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bank — for money
  24. swing — in golf

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