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 · temple · bound · capital · pitcher · plane · branch · pit

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bound — tied together
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. plane — a tool
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. key — the most important part
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. branch — a division
  13. bound — obliged
  14. capital — a city
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. capital — money
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. key — in music
  24. bound — certain

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