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: arm · capital · key · pitch · nail · wake · fan · chip

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. key — for a lock
  3. wake — a trail
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. key — in music
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. capital — a city
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. pitch — completely
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. capital — money
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chip — to eat
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. key — the most important part
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. fan — to cool the air

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