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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. pass — a permit
  3. cell — in biology
  4. bank — for money
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. mark — a trace
  8. capital — a city
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. capital — money
  11. cell — a phone
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. ground — a position
  16. mark — a grade
  17. bank — for money
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. ground — crushed
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. craft — boats
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. ground — the earth
  24. craft — a skill

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