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: key · wave · capital · press · fan · land · deal · snap

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. key — in music
  4. press — newspapers
  5. key — for a lock
  6. land — ground
  7. press — to push
  8. land — a country
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. press — a publisher
  12. snap — to click
  13. deal — to handle
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. capital — money
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. key — the most important part
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. capital — a city
  24. land — to come down

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