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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. capital — a city
  3. key — for a lock
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. fine — high quality
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. key — the most important part
  8. capital — money
  9. cue — a signal
  10. band — a music group
  11. key — in music
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. band — a ring
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. cue — for pool
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. fine — all right
  24. lash — an eyelash

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