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: foot · capital · tube · cue · key · charge · kid · band

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. charge — in control
  4. cue — for pool
  5. capital — a city
  6. capital — money
  7. kid — child
  8. tube — a container
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. foot — a measure
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. cue — a hint
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. band — a music group
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. key — in music
  17. charge — electricity
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. key — the most important part
  20. key — for a lock
  21. kid — to tease
  22. tube — the underground
  23. band — a ring
  24. charge — a price

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