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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. mine — for digging
  4. charge — electricity
  5. bass — low music
  6. key — for a lock
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. capital — money
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. charge — a price
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. charge — in control
  17. capital — a city
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. key — in music
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. ruler — a monarch

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