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 120 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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bank — of a river
  4. cue — a signal
  5. capital — a city
  6. squash — to crush
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bank — for money
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. wind — moving air
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bank — for money
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. cue — a hint
  19. wind — moving air
  20. plane — a tool
  21. squash — the sport
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. capital — money
  24. wind — to turn a key

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