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: capital · bay · mate · bank · fall · current · chest · nail

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. fall — the season
  4. current — happening now
  5. capital — a city
  6. chest — a box
  7. capital — money
  8. mate — a friend
  9. chest — of your body
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. fall — to drop
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bank — for money
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. mate — a partner
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. current — electric
  21. current — of water
  22. mate — to breed
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. chest — of your body

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