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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. tube — a container
  7. roll — a list
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. roll — a cake
  12. staff — employees
  13. capital — a city
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. stand — to bear
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. tube — the underground
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. branch — a division
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — a stick
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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