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

Word bank: rest · capital · drill · key · present · charge · shower · calf

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. rest — what's left
  3. shower — rain
  4. present — the time now
  5. present — a gift
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. charge — a price
  9. drill — a practice
  10. key — the most important part
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. key — for a lock
  13. shower — to wash
  14. capital — a city
  15. charge — in control
  16. capital — money
  17. charge — electricity
  18. rest — a break
  19. key — in music
  20. drill — army training
  21. rest — what's left
  22. drill — the tool
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. calf — of the leg

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