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: pitcher · pit · cap · root · rash · bank · capital · hand

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. capital — money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. root — the cause
  6. rash — a series
  7. cap — of ice
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pit — a hole
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. root — of a word
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bank — for money
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. hand — help
  17. root — of a plant
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. capital — a city
  20. cap — a hat
  21. hand — in cards
  22. cap — a lid
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rash — hasty

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