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

Word bank: capital · temple · arm · cap · coach · lean · swing · wake

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. cap — a hat
  3. capital — money
  4. lean — to bend
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. swing — music
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. capital — a city
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. swing — in golf
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. cap — a lid
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. lean — thin
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. swing — to play on
  24. cap — of ice

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