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 · nail · file · bank · hand · temple · capital · swing

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. hand — in cards
  4. capital — money
  5. file — a tool
  6. capital — a city
  7. key — in music
  8. swing — in golf
  9. swing — music
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. key — for a lock
  13. bank — for money
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. file — a document
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — of a river
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. key — the most important part
  21. hand — help
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. file — a line of people
  24. nail — on a finger

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