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: band · suit · lean · hide · rule · charge · capital · pound

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. band — a music group
  3. charge — a price
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. lean — to bend
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. charge — electricity
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pound — a weight
  12. suit — to fit
  13. charge — in control
  14. rule — government
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. lean — thin
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. band — a ring
  21. rule — a law
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. capital — money
  24. capital — a city

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