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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. deal — to handle
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. file — a line of people
  5. bound — certain
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. mate — a partner
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. bound — tied together
  12. tube — the underground
  13. file — a tool
  14. prune — to trim
  15. tube — a container
  16. capital — a city
  17. mate — a friend
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. mate — to breed
  20. bound — obliged
  21. prune — to trim
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. file — a document

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