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: deal · hand · prune · capital · cue · cap · net · mark

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. net — in sport
  3. hand — in cards
  4. capital — money
  5. prune — to trim
  6. cap — a lid
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. deal — to handle
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cue — a hint
  13. mark — a grade
  14. prune — to trim
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. net — after costs
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. net — for catching
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cap — of ice
  22. capital — a city
  23. hand — help
  24. cap — a hat

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