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: racket · capital · bass · fork · fan · sharp · ruler · saw

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bass — low music
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. saw — the tool
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. capital — a city
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. sharp — clever
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. capital — money
  23. bass — the fish
  24. sharp — with an edge

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