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: key · fine · deal · kid · foot · hand · row · capital

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. key — in music
  4. capital — a city
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. key — the most important part
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. capital — money
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. fine — all right
  13. hand — help
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. kid — child
  16. key — for a lock
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. foot — a measure
  19. kid — to tease
  20. row — a line
  21. fine — high quality
  22. hand — in cards
  23. deal — to handle
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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