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: key · capital · spell · dip · staff · lie · current · racket

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. capital — a city
  3. staff — a stick
  4. key — for a lock
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. capital — money
  8. spell — letters
  9. current — electric
  10. key — in music
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — employees
  14. key — the most important part
  15. lie — to recline
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. spell — magic
  19. current — happening now
  20. spell — a short time
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. current — of water
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. dip — to sink

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