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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. drill — a practice
  3. drill — the tool
  4. charge — electricity
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. pit — a hole
  7. race — a contest
  8. drill — army training
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. fine — all right
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. capital — money
  14. pit — in a race
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. stand — to bear
  17. charge — in control
  18. race — humankind
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. race — the arms race
  21. plane — a tool
  22. charge — a price
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fine — a penalty

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