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: perch · stand · bank · wave · row · coach · capital · mug

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mug — a face
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. mug — to rob
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. row — to paddle
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. perch — the fish
  16. bank — for money
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. stand — to bear
  19. row — a line
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. capital — money

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