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: rush · leaves · key · lean · kid · capital · face · mine

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. face — part of the head
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. capital — a city
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. kid — to tease
  8. key — the most important part
  9. key — for a lock
  10. face — to point toward
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. face — to confront
  16. kid — child
  17. key — in music
  18. rush — hurry
  19. mine — for digging
  20. capital — money
  21. lean — thin
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. lean — to bend

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