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 116 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: club · capital · key · bank · safe · straw · mine · suit

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. suit — to fit
  3. capital — a city
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. key — the most important part
  6. bank — of a river
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. club — for dancing
  10. club — for golf
  11. suit — clothes
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. key — in music
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bank — for money
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. mine — for digging
  19. suit — in cards
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. club — a group
  22. bank — for money
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. capital — a big letter

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