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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cabinet · capital · plane · season · key · safe · rule · snap

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. key — for a lock
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rule — government
  7. season — in sport
  8. capital — a city
  9. key — the most important part
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. plane — a tool
  17. rule — a law
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. season — of the year
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. capital — money
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. key — in music

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