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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. fine — high quality
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. track — to keep track
  6. track — a path
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. capital — a city
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. object — a thing
  11. capital — money
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. track — a song
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. object — to protest
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. object — an aim
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. bat — the animal
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. fine — all right

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