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 120 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: game · capital · key · chair · spell · deal · bulb · vault

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. bulb — for light
  4. game — a match
  5. capital — money
  6. key — the most important part
  7. bulb — for light
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. game — wild animals
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. key — for a lock
  15. capital — a city
  16. spell — magic
  17. deal — to handle
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. key — in music
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. spell — letters
  22. spell — a short time
  23. vault — a safe
  24. chair — a leader

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