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 116 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: press · capital · track · patient · craft · race · plane · bore

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. race — the arms race
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. bore — to drill
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. craft — boats
  10. track — a path
  11. bore — to tire
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. track — to keep track
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. press — a publisher
  16. press — newspapers
  17. race — humankind
  18. craft — a skill
  19. capital — money
  20. plane — a tool
  21. press — to push
  22. capital — a city
  23. race — a contest
  24. plane — an aircraft

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