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: fan · net · pass · fine · nail · spring · capital · land

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. spring — the season
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. net — after costs
  6. fine — all right
  7. capital — a city
  8. capital — money
  9. land — ground
  10. fine — high quality
  11. net — for catching
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. net — in sport
  17. land — to come down
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pass — a permit
  21. spring — of water
  22. spring — a coil
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. pass — to succeed

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