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 · bear · leaves · capital · net · ball · bound · fork

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. drill — army training
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. capital — money
  8. bound — tied together
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. drill — a practice
  11. bear — the animal
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. bound — certain
  14. bear — the animal
  15. fork — in a road
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bound — obliged
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. net — after costs
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. net — for catching
  23. capital — a city
  24. drill — the tool

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