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 · toast · bank · squash · staff · tear · saw · spell

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. squash — the sport
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. spell — a short time
  5. toast — bread
  6. spell — magic
  7. capital — money
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bank — for money
  12. capital — a city
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. tear — from crying
  15. saw — the tool
  16. spell — letters
  17. bank — for money
  18. tear — from crying
  19. squash — to crush
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. staff — a stick
  22. staff — employees
  23. bank — of a river
  24. staff — employees

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