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: capital · charge · bound · row · stick · nail · cap · stock

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. bound — tied together
  3. charge — in control
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. row — a line
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. stock — shares
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bound — certain
  12. charge — electricity
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stock — goods
  16. row — to paddle
  17. bound — obliged
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. cap — of ice
  21. capital — money
  22. cap — a lid
  23. charge — a price
  24. cap — a hat

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