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 · mug · craft · lean · mouse · scale · branch · tear

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. lean — thin
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. scale — size or range
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. mug — a cup
  9. scale — in music
  10. lean — to bend
  11. branch — a division
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. mug — a face
  15. craft — a skill
  16. tear — from crying
  17. mug — to rob
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. tear — from crying
  20. tear — to rip
  21. capital — a city
  22. craft — boats
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. capital — a big letter

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