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 · pass · bank · hide · season · bear · present · fine

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. season — in sport
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bear — the animal
  6. present — there
  7. season — of the year
  8. bank — for money
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. bank — for money
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fine — all right
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. present — a gift
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. capital — money
  22. bear — the animal
  23. present — the time now
  24. fine — high quality

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