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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. capital — money
  5. deal — to handle
  6. branch — a division
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. face — to confront
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. capital — a city
  16. rest — a break
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. bat — the animal
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. face — to point toward
  21. face — part of the head
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. rest — what's left

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