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: plane · mine · coach · capital · can · stick · firm · deal

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. capital — a city
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. firm — a company
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. mine — for digging
  11. can — a tin
  12. firm — steady
  13. can — to be able to
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. capital — money
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. deal — to handle
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. plane — a tool
  24. firm — decided

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