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 beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. can — a tin
  3. capital — a city
  4. mate — a partner
  5. mate — to breed
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. capital — money
  11. degree — an amount
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. can — to be able to
  15. lean — to bend
  16. net — after costs
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. degree — temperature
  19. mate — a friend
  20. net — in sport
  21. can — a tin
  22. lean — thin
  23. degree — from a university
  24. net — for catching

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