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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. field — a subject
  5. rock — music
  6. capital — money
  7. rock — a stone
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. field — for sport
  11. bore — to drill
  12. charge — a price
  13. capital — a city
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bore — to tire
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. charge — in control
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. field — farmland
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. branch — a division
  24. bay — a horse colour

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