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: rest · coach · bank · sharp · leaves · safe · racket · capital

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bank — for money
  5. rest — what's left
  6. capital — money
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. bank — for money
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. sharp — clever
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bank — of a river
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. rest — a break
  24. capital — a city

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