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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. cue — a hint
  3. charge — in control
  4. rash — hasty
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. capital — a city
  7. charge — electricity
  8. track — a song
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. bank — of a river
  12. cell — a phone
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. track — to keep track
  15. bank — for money
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cue — a signal
  18. track — a path
  19. bank — for money
  20. cell — in biology
  21. charge — a price
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. capital — money

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