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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: drill · patient · capital · last · stick · press

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. capital — money
  4. press — a publisher
  5. press — to push
  6. last — finally
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. last — to go on
  11. drill — the tool
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. last — final
  14. drill — a practice
  15. press — newspapers
  16. drill — army training
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. capital — a city

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