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: capital · season · key · spell · pit · calf · scale · current

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. capital — a city
  4. current — of water
  5. scale — in music
  6. key — the most important part
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. scale — size or range
  9. pit — in a race
  10. current — happening now
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. season — of the year
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. season — in sport
  15. spell — a short time
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. key — in music
  18. current — electric
  19. spell — letters
  20. key — for a lock
  21. pit — a hole
  22. capital — money
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. capital — a big letter

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