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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. swing — music
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. tear — from crying
  8. drill — the tool
  9. tear — from crying
  10. swing — in golf
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. swing — to play on
  13. drill — army training
  14. tear — to rip
  15. drill — a practice
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. capital — money

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