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: snap · coach · saw · fine · capital · temple · mouse · season

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. snap — to click
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. fine — all right
  11. fine — high quality
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. season — of the year
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. capital — a city
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. capital — money
  24. season — in sport

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