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 · branch · lie · season · cue · racket · prune · safe

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — a division
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. cue — a signal
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. cue — for pool
  13. prune — to trim
  14. lie — to recline
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. capital — a city
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. prune — to trim
  20. capital — money
  21. season — in sport
  22. season — of the year
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. racket — for tennis

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