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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. march — music
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. capital — a city
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ground — a position
  8. bass — low music
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. march — the month
  11. ground — crushed
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. march — the month
  14. bass — the fish
  15. ground — the earth
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. capital — money
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. ruler — for measuring

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