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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. capital — money
  3. cue — a hint
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. cue — for pool
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. cue — a signal
  12. rule — government
  13. capital — a city
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — to be able to
  21. rule — a law
  22. can — a tin
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. nail — for a hammer

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