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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. capital — money
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. ball — a great time
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. bank — for money
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. key — in music
  15. bank — of a river
  16. key — for a lock
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. bank — for money
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. lie — to recline
  22. key — the most important part
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. capital — a city

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