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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. last — to go on
  3. capital — money
  4. lean — thin
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. craft — a skill
  7. last — final
  8. last — finally
  9. mug — a face
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. key — the most important part
  12. capital — a city
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. club — for golf
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. key — for a lock
  18. kick — in football
  19. mug — a cup
  20. craft — boats
  21. lean — to bend
  22. club — for dancing
  23. mug — to rob
  24. club — a group

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