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

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. race — a contest
  5. race — humankind
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. field — a subject
  8. mark — a trace
  9. firm — decided
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. field — for sport
  12. mark — a grade
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bore — to drill
  16. firm — steady
  17. bore — to tire
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. capital — money
  20. race — the arms race
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. capital — a city
  23. firm — a company
  24. field — farmland

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