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 · bank · race · pass · mouse · kick · rush · date

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. rush — hurry
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bank — of a river
  6. race — a contest
  7. bank — for money
  8. kick — in football
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. date — the fruit
  11. pass — a permit
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. race — humankind
  17. race — the arms race
  18. bank — for money
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. capital — a city
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. date — on the calendar

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