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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. field — a subject
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. capital — a city
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. rule — government
  10. dip — to sink
  11. field — for sport
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. field — farmland
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. capital — money
  19. rule — a law
  20. bore — to tire
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. safe — out of danger

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