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 124 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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. capital — a city
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. capital — money
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. game — wild animals
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. lean — to bend
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. key — in music
  16. key — the most important part
  17. perch — the fish
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. key — for a lock
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. game — a match
  23. lean — thin
  24. nail — for a hammer

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