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 120 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: bear · mark · pound · snap · season · wave · lash · capital

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mark — a grade
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. season — of the year
  14. season — in sport
  15. pound — a weight
  16. capital — money
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. mark — a trace
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. snap — to click
  24. bear — the animal

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