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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. saw — the tool
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. rash — hasty
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. mug — a face
  9. saw — the tool
  10. mug — to rob
  11. capital — a city
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. branch — a division
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. capital — money
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. bat — the animal
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. snap — to click
  24. mug — a cup

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