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: ruler · capital · date · fall · sharp · key · scale · jam

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. fall — the season
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. scale — size or range
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. date — the fruit
  9. fall — to drop
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. sharp — clever
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. fall — to drop
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. capital — money
  18. key — in music
  19. scale — in music
  20. capital — a city
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. key — the most important part
  24. jam — in traffic

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