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: fan · capital · cue · cap · bowl · saw · nail · safe

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. cue — a hint
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. cap — of ice
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cap — a lid
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. saw — the tool
  21. cap — a hat
  22. capital — a city
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. capital — money

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