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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. capital — a city
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. file — a tool
  5. key — in music
  6. file — a document
  7. lean — to bend
  8. key — the most important part
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. dip — to sink
  14. lean — thin
  15. capital — money
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. can — a tin
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. file — a line of people
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. key — for a lock

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