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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. capital — a city
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. file — a line of people
  5. file — a document
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. perch — the fish
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pass — a permit
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. lean — thin
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. capital — money
  18. vault — a safe
  19. lean — to bend
  20. file — a tool
  21. drill — a practice
  22. drill — army training
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. perch — for a bird

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