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: wound · spell · wave · capital · can · cell · chip · staff

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. spell — magic
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. wound — an injury
  8. capital — a city
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. staff — employees
  11. spell — a short time
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. chip — to eat
  14. can — a tin
  15. cell — a phone
  16. staff — a stick
  17. can — to be able to
  18. cell — in biology
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. can — a tin
  22. staff — employees
  23. chip — for betting
  24. spell — letters

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