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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — in cards
  3. drill — army training
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. key — the most important part
  9. capital — a city
  10. suit — to fit
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. cell — a phone
  14. rush — hurry
  15. key — for a lock
  16. cell — in biology
  17. drill — the tool
  18. capital — money
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. bass — the fish
  21. drill — a practice
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. key — in music
  24. bass — low music

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