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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. pop — music
  3. lean — thin
  4. fork — in a road
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. net — in sport
  9. capital — money
  10. bass — low music
  11. bass — the fish
  12. key — for a lock
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. net — after costs
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. pop — to visit
  17. net — for catching
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. key — the most important part
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. key — in music
  23. capital — a city
  24. pop — soda

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