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: race · wound · capital · pass · ground · bore · key · calf

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. wound — an injury
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bore — to drill
  6. race — the arms race
  7. race — humankind
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. bore — to tire
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. capital — a city
  12. capital — money
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. ground — a position
  15. key — the most important part
  16. wound — an injury
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. ground — the earth
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. race — a contest
  21. ground — crushed
  22. key — for a lock
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. pass — a permit

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