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 · drill · bulb · stand · can · pass · calf · cue

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. cue — a signal
  3. bulb — for light
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. can — a tin
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. drill — a practice
  9. capital — a city
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. can — a tin
  12. cue — a hint
  13. capital — money
  14. stand — to bear
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. bulb — for light
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. pass — a permit
  20. drill — the tool
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. drill — army training
  23. cue — for pool
  24. stand — on your feet

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