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 beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  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. capital — a big letter
  2. capital — a city
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bank — for money
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. capital — money
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. craft — boats
  18. file — a document
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. file — a line of people
  21. stand — to bear
  22. file — a tool
  23. bank — for money
  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