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 · net · mate · craft · toast · bat · capital · pass

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. pass — a permit
  3. bat — the animal
  4. bore — to drill
  5. net — in sport
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. mate — to breed
  8. bore — to tire
  9. mate — a friend
  10. capital — a city
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. mate — a partner
  14. capital — money
  15. craft — boats
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. craft — a skill
  21. toast — bread
  22. net — after costs
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. net — for catching

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