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 · field · lash · safe · band · row · nail · bay

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. row — to paddle
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. field — for sport
  9. band — a music group
  10. capital — money
  11. field — farmland
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. row — a line
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. band — a ring
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. field — a subject
  21. capital — a city
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bay — a horse colour

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