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

Word bank: scale · capital · lie · straw · cap · lean · saw · pit

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lean — thin
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. pit — a hole
  6. scale — in music
  7. capital — a city
  8. cap — a lid
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. pit — in a race
  11. saw — the tool
  12. capital — money
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. saw — the tool
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. lie — to recline
  19. cap — a hat
  20. cap — of ice
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. lean — to bend
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. lie — an untruth

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