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: bound · key · mark · patient · vault · capital · bank · land

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  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. key — for a lock
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. land — a country
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. land — ground
  7. land — to come down
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. capital — money
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bank — of a river
  13. capital — a city
  14. bound — certain
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — for money
  18. bound — tied together
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — a trace
  23. key — in music
  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