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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. key — the most important part
  4. key — for a lock
  5. branch — a division
  6. can — to be able to
  7. band — a ring
  8. band — a music group
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. key — in music
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. suit — to fit
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. capital — a city
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. suit — in cards
  22. fork — in a road
  23. capital — money
  24. wax — to grow

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