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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. degree — from a university
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. degree — temperature
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. degree — an amount
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. capital — money
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. can — a tin
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. content — the amount
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. plane — a tool
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. can — a tin
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. can — to be able to
  22. content — happy
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. temple — side of the head

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