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: capital · rush · patient · pitcher · key · pit · stick · scale

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. capital — a city
  4. pit — in a race
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. capital — money
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. rush — hurry
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. key — in music
  16. key — for a lock
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. key — the most important part
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. scale — in music
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pit — a hole

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