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: leaves · cue · capital · lash · chip · craft · mark · pitcher

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. chip — to eat
  4. craft — boats
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. capital — a city
  7. capital — money
  8. mark — a trace
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. cue — for pool
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. chip — for betting
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. cue — a hint
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. cue — a signal
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. craft — a skill
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. mark — a grade

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