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 · leaves · pass · arm · fall · charge · branch · wake

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. wake — a trail
  3. fall — to drop
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. fall — the season
  6. fall — to drop
  7. pass — a permit
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. capital — a city
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. charge — a price
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. charge — in control
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. charge — electricity
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. branch — a division
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. leaves — to go away

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