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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. bound — tied together
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. bore — to tire
  6. clip — a video
  7. bore — to drill
  8. firm — a company
  9. capital — money
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. charge — in control
  12. capital — a city
  13. charge — electricity
  14. scale — size or range
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. clip — to cut
  17. bound — obliged
  18. charge — a price
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. firm — steady
  21. clip — for paper
  22. bound — certain
  23. firm — decided
  24. scale — for weighing

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