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: sharp · current · club · pass · bore · stick · capital · tear

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. tear — from crying
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — electric
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. capital — money
  8. bore — to tire
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. club — for dancing
  11. sharp — clever
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bore — to drill
  14. capital — a city
  15. club — a group
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. tear — from crying
  19. tear — to rip
  20. current — of water
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. club — for golf
  23. pass — a permit
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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