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 · branch · chair · saw · cue · bay · cap · mug

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. saw — the tool
  4. capital — money
  5. cap — a hat
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. cue — a signal
  8. chair — a leader
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. mug — a face
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cue — a hint
  14. mug — to rob
  15. capital — a city
  16. mug — a cup
  17. branch — a division
  18. cap — a lid
  19. cap — of ice
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. branch — of a tree
  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