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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. branch — a division
  3. capital — a city
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. object — an aim
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. roll — a cake
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. object — to protest
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. chip — for betting
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. capital — money
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. chip — to eat
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. object — a thing
  21. foot — a measure
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. foot — the bottom

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