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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a hint
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. season — in sport
  7. capital — a city
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. ball — a dance
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. capital — money
  18. cue — a signal
  19. tube — the underground
  20. tube — a container
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. pass — a permit

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