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: scale · temple · nail · rock · bark · capital · pitch · firm

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — a company
  7. scale — in music
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. firm — decided
  16. rock — music
  17. capital — money
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. rock — a stone
  20. pitch — completely
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. bark — to shout
  24. scale — size or range

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