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: sharp · track · bowl · drill · capital · row · coach · bay

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. row — to paddle
  3. capital — a city
  4. track — a song
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. drill — army training
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. drill — the tool
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. track — a path
  11. row — a line
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. track — to keep track
  16. capital — money
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. sharp — clever

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