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: fall · temple · bore · firm · bat · drill · capital · can

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. can — a tin
  3. bore — to tire
  4. firm — decided
  5. bat — the animal
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. can — to be able to
  9. fall — the season
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. capital — a city
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. firm — a company
  15. capital — money
  16. fall — to drop
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bore — to drill
  19. firm — steady
  20. drill — army training
  21. drill — the tool
  22. can — a tin
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bore — gave birth

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