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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. kick — in football
  4. land — ground
  5. present — the time now
  6. present — a gift
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. land — a country
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — a stick
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. capital — money
  15. staff — employees
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. ball — a great time
  20. land — to come down
  21. capital — a city
  22. present — there
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. ball — a dance

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