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: suit · club · spell · capital · rush · toast · tube · racket

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — letters
  4. suit — in cards
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. toast — bread
  7. tube — the underground
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. capital — money
  11. suit — clothes
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. spell — magic
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. club — for golf
  17. tube — a container
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. suit — to fit
  21. club — for dancing
  22. club — a group
  23. capital — a city
  24. rush — to hurry

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