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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. capital — a city
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. present — the time now
  5. tube — a container
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. tube — the underground
  9. suit — clothes
  10. fine — high quality
  11. suit — in cards
  12. track — a path
  13. fine — all right
  14. track — a song
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. capital — money
  19. present — a gift
  20. present — there
  21. suit — to fit
  22. face — to confront
  23. track — to keep track
  24. face — part of the head

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