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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. capital — money
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. roll — a cake
  6. capital — a city
  7. date — the fruit
  8. tear — from crying
  9. roll — a list
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. tear — from crying
  14. mark — a trace
  15. toast — bread
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. mark — a grade
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. tear — to rip
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. mark — to pay attention

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