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: mine · rush · press · capital · deal · fan · scale · mate

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. press — newspapers
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. capital — money
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. mate — to breed
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. press — to push
  9. deal — to handle
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. mate — a friend
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. scale — size or range
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. mate — a partner
  20. press — a publisher
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. mine — for digging
  23. scale — in music
  24. capital — a city

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