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 120 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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. row — to paddle
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. staff — employees
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. staff — a stick
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wax — to grow
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. band — a ring
  14. band — a music group
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. row — a line
  18. capital — money
  19. staff — employees
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. nail — on a finger

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