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: scale · key · branch · bay · capital · dip · jam · pass

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. capital — money
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. key — for a lock
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. key — the most important part
  12. scale — in music
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. key — in music
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. dip — to sink
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. branch — a division
  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