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: root · ball · kid · capital · object · bank · rush · board

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bank — for money
  4. capital — money
  5. board — to get on
  6. object — a thing
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a dance
  11. kid — to tease
  12. root — of a plant
  13. capital — a city
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. bank — for money
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. rush — hurry
  18. kid — child
  19. object — an aim
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. board — a committee
  22. object — to protest
  23. root — the cause
  24. root — of a word

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