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: drill · capital · swing · racket · staff · branch · charge · bass

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. swing — to play on
  5. capital — a city
  6. staff — a stick
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bass — low music
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. charge — in control
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. capital — money
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. charge — electricity
  16. drill — a practice
  17. swing — in golf
  18. drill — the tool
  19. swing — music
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. branch — a division
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. drill — army training

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