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 · squash · band · root · ball · kick · swing · bank

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. root — of a word
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. swing — in golf
  8. capital — a city
  9. squash — the sport
  10. root — of a plant
  11. ball — a great time
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. capital — money
  14. band — a music group
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. root — the cause
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. bank — for money
  19. swing — music
  20. band — a ring
  21. swing — to play on
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — of a river
  24. squash — to crush

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