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

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. rule — a law
  3. key — the most important part
  4. key — in music
  5. foot — a measure
  6. rule — government
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. capital — money
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bound — certain
  19. key — for a lock
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bulb — for light
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. bound — tied together

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