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 120 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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — a division
  4. bore — to drill
  5. track — a path
  6. track — a song
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. fine — high quality
  13. stock — shares
  14. capital — money
  15. stock — goods
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. track — to keep track
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. fine — all right
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bore — to tire
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. ruler — a monarch

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