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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. capital — money
  3. prune — to trim
  4. drill — army training
  5. bore — to tire
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. prune — to trim
  8. tear — to rip
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. capital — a city
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. tear — from crying
  13. bore — to drill
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. drill — a practice
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. stock — shares
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. stock — goods
  21. drill — the tool
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. tear — from crying
  24. pass — a permit

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