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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. bank — of a river
  6. sharp — clever
  7. rash — hasty
  8. capital — money
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bank — for money
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. bank — for money
  16. capital — a city
  17. rush — hurry
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. rash — a series
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. saw — the tool

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