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: suit · capital · toast · arm · ruler · pitcher · deal · branch

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. suit — in cards
  5. deal — to handle
  6. suit — clothes
  7. capital — a city
  8. capital — money
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. branch — a division
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. suit — to fit
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. toast — bread
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. deal — an agreement

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