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: net · capital · bay · track · bank · tear · rash · straw

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. tear — from crying
  3. capital — money
  4. tear — to rip
  5. track — a path
  6. tear — from crying
  7. net — in sport
  8. rash — a series
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. track — a song
  12. capital — a city
  13. rash — hasty
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. bank — for money
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. net — for catching
  22. net — after costs
  23. track — to keep track
  24. bank — for 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