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 120 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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. key — for a lock
  3. file — a tool
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. key — in music
  6. club — a group
  7. stock — shares
  8. club — for golf
  9. pit — a hole
  10. ball — a dance
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. stock — goods
  13. capital — money
  14. capital — a city
  15. file — a document
  16. pit — in a race
  17. club — for dancing
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. ball — a great time
  21. key — the most important part
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. file — a line of people

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