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 120 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: fall · bore · deal · scale · capital · fork · cabinet · staff

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. fork — in a road
  7. bore — to tire
  8. fall — to drop
  9. scale — size or range
  10. bore — to drill
  11. staff — a stick
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. fall — to drop
  14. deal — to handle
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. staff — employees
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. scale — in music
  20. fall — the season
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. capital — a city
  24. staff — employees

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