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: perch · capital · bound · bass · rock · lean · bore · craft

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. perch — the fish
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bound — tied together
  11. rock — music
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bound — certain
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bore — to drill
  18. lean — thin
  19. craft — boats
  20. capital — money
  21. lean — to bend
  22. bass — low music
  23. rock — a stone
  24. bass — the fish

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