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: bat · charge · craft · capital · bank · face · squash · mug

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bank — of a river
  3. face — part of the head
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — in control
  7. squash — to crush
  8. mug — to rob
  9. capital — a city
  10. craft — a skill
  11. face — to point toward
  12. bank — for money
  13. mug — a face
  14. craft — boats
  15. squash — the sport
  16. bank — for money
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. bat — the animal
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. face — to confront
  22. charge — a price
  23. mug — a cup
  24. capital — money

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