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: root · rest · jam · pass · key · nail · coach · capital

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. root — the cause
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. capital — a city
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. root — of a word
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. root — of a plant
  15. key — the most important part
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. rest — what's left
  19. pass — a permit
  20. key — for a lock
  21. rest — a break
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. capital — money
  24. rest — what's left

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