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: drill · mug · field · current · safe · capital · kid · mark

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — electric
  4. mark — a trace
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. kid — child
  7. capital — money
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. kid — to tease
  10. drill — a practice
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. field — a subject
  13. mug — to rob
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. mug — a face
  16. mark — a grade
  17. drill — army training
  18. current — of water
  19. field — for sport
  20. mug — a cup
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. drill — the tool
  23. field — farmland
  24. safe — a strongbox

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