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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. swing — in golf
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. mate — a partner
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. mug — a cup
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. cap — of ice
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. branch — a division
  13. capital — money
  14. capital — a city
  15. mate — to breed
  16. mug — to rob
  17. cap — a lid
  18. deal — to handle
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. swing — music
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. mate — a friend
  23. swing — to play on
  24. cap — a hat

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