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: pass · dip · lean · prune · track · capital · rush · bore

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. track — a path
  3. lean — to bend
  4. track — a song
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. lean — thin
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. bore — to drill
  10. rush — hurry
  11. track — to keep track
  12. capital — a city
  13. pass — a permit
  14. bore — to tire
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. dip — to sink
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. capital — money
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. prune — to trim

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