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: bore · pop · field · vault · stick · fine · capital · rash

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. fine — high quality
  4. capital — a city
  5. pop — to visit
  6. rash — a series
  7. pop — soda
  8. field — a subject
  9. bore — to drill
  10. field — farmland
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. bore — to tire
  14. rash — hasty
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. capital — money
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pop — music
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. field — for sport
  23. fine — all right
  24. vault — a safe

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