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 · kick · capital · craft · temple · perch · object · tube

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. tube — the underground
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. object — a thing
  5. capital — a city
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. tube — a container
  9. capital — money
  10. perch — the fish
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. craft — a skill
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. object — an aim
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — in football
  19. bore — to drill
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. craft — boats
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. object — to protest
  24. perch — for a bird

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