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: fan · board · key · capital · vault · bulb · firm · tear

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. tear — from crying
  3. board — a committee
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — for a lock
  6. firm — decided
  7. capital — a city
  8. firm — steady
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. firm — a company
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. tear — to rip
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. bulb — for light
  19. key — in music
  20. capital — money
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. board — to get on
  23. tear — from crying
  24. vault — a safe

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