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: arm · capital · drill · cap · stem · rush · safe · bound

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. stem — to come from
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. capital — money
  7. bound — tied together
  8. cap — of ice
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. capital — a city
  14. bound — certain
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. cap — a lid
  17. drill — a practice
  18. cap — a hat
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. drill — the tool
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. bound — obliged
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. rush — hurry

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