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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. capital — a city
  5. stock — shares
  6. capital — money
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. track — to keep track
  11. court — of law
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. track — a song
  14. degree — an amount
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. court — for sport
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. court — of a king
  20. degree — from a university
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. track — a path
  23. degree — temperature
  24. stock — goods

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