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: arm · capital · firm · bore · mug · fine · land · pop

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. pop — music
  3. mug — a face
  4. firm — a company
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. bore — to drill
  7. mug — a cup
  8. firm — decided
  9. land — a country
  10. capital — a city
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. land — ground
  14. capital — money
  15. land — to come down
  16. firm — steady
  17. pop — soda
  18. fine — high quality
  19. pop — to visit
  20. fine — all right
  21. mug — to rob
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. arm — a part of something

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