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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. can — to be able to
  3. key — in music
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. land — ground
  8. pass — a permit
  9. land — to come down
  10. land — a country
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. sharp — clever
  13. capital — a city
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. capital — money
  16. key — the most important part
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. key — for a lock

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