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 · net · dip · wave · club · rest · jam · march

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. march — the month
  3. net — in sport
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — what's left
  6. net — after costs
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. club — for golf
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. club — a group
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. capital — money
  13. net — for catching
  14. capital — a city
  15. rest — a break
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. dip — to sink
  23. march — the month
  24. club — for dancing

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