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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: capital · mouse · charge · wave · suit · band

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. charge — electricity
  3. band — a music group
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. capital — money
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — to fit
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. charge — in control
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. suit — in cards
  13. capital — a city
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. charge — a price

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