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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. capital — money
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. club — a group
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. club — for dancing
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. capital — a city
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. club — for golf
  15. snap — to click
  16. deal — to handle
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. capital — a big letter

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