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: pop · plane · coach · file · jam · track · capital · temple

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. capital — money
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. track — a song
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. pop — soda
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. pop — music
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. pop — to visit
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. file — a tool
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. track — a path
  21. plane — a tool
  22. file — a document
  23. capital — a city
  24. track — to keep track

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