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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. hand — help
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. track — to keep track
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. capital — money
  11. capital — a city
  12. can — to be able to
  13. plane — a tool
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. deal — to handle
  16. hand — in cards
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. can — a tin
  22. track — a song
  23. can — a tin
  24. track — a path

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