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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. ground — crushed
  3. bore — to drill
  4. capital — a city
  5. bore — to tire
  6. capital — money
  7. field — a subject
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. current — electric
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. current — of water
  13. row — to paddle
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. board — to get on
  16. field — for sport
  17. ground — the earth
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. ground — a position
  21. board — a committee
  22. field — farmland
  23. row — a line
  24. current — happening now

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