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: saw · firm · capital · fine · tear · wake · present · bear

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. firm — a company
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. capital — a city
  5. fine — all right
  6. tear — to rip
  7. present — there
  8. tear — from crying
  9. bear — the animal
  10. firm — steady
  11. tear — from crying
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. fine — high quality
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. capital — money
  17. wake — a trail
  18. bear — the animal
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. saw — the tool
  22. present — a gift
  23. firm — decided
  24. saw — the tool

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