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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. key — in music
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. capital — a city
  6. wind — moving air
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. key — for a lock
  11. squash — to crush
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. key — the most important part
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. date — the fruit
  21. pound — a weight
  22. squash — the sport
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. capital — money

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