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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. capital — a city
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. capital — money
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. object — a thing
  11. pit — in a race
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. object — an aim
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. bear — the animal
  18. object — to protest

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