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: roll · capital · stick · rock · leaves · key · shower · mate

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. rock — music
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. capital — money
  5. shower — rain
  6. key — the most important part
  7. capital — a city
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. mate — a partner
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. roll — a cake
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. key — in music
  15. roll — a list
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. mate — a friend
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. rock — a stone
  21. key — for a lock
  22. shower — to wash
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. mate — to breed

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