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: fine · bore · deal · fork · capital · leaves · bear · current

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. current — of water
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bore — to drill
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. fine — all right
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. capital — a city
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. fine — high quality
  17. current — happening now
  18. deal — to handle
  19. current — electric
  20. capital — money
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. fork — in a road
  24. leaves — to go away

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