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 120 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: current · march · cue · pop · snap · drill · capital · cap

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cap — of ice
  5. current — of water
  6. pop — music
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. current — happening now
  9. march — the month
  10. cue — a signal
  11. march — the month
  12. pop — to visit
  13. drill — a practice
  14. snap — to click
  15. cap — a hat
  16. capital — money
  17. march — music
  18. drill — army training
  19. capital — a city
  20. pop — soda
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. current — electric
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cue — for pool

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