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: bark · charge · bay · capital · current · root · cue · race

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. charge — electricity
  3. race — a contest
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. cue — a signal
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. root — the cause
  9. cue — a hint
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. capital — money
  12. bark — to shout
  13. current — of water
  14. capital — a city
  15. charge — in control
  16. cue — for pool
  17. root — of a word
  18. root — of a plant
  19. race — the arms race
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. current — electric
  22. charge — a price
  23. current — happening now
  24. race — humankind

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