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 124 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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. race — humankind
  3. cap — a hat
  4. bound — tied together
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bound — certain
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. race — the arms race
  9. capital — money
  10. scale — size or range
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. capital — a city
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. race — a contest
  19. cap — of ice
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. cap — a lid
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bound — obliged

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