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: club · bank · capital · arm · bowl · pass · fan · toast

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. pass — a permit
  8. bank — of a river
  9. club — for golf
  10. capital — money
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bank — for money
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bank — for money
  20. capital — a city
  21. club — a group
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. toast — bread

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