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 · row · last · dip · swing · stick · leaves · bound

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. row — a line
  6. row — to paddle
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. swing — in golf
  10. capital — money
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. bound — obliged
  13. swing — to play on
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. dip — to sink
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. bound — tied together
  18. swing — music
  19. last — to go on
  20. capital — a city
  21. bound — certain
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. last — finally
  24. leaves — to go away

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