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: mark · spring · key · bore · track · scale · capital · leaves

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. mark — a grade
  3. track — a song
  4. capital — money
  5. scale — size or range
  6. key — in music
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. capital — a city
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. track — a path
  13. spring — the season
  14. track — to keep track
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. scale — in music
  17. bore — to drill
  18. spring — of water
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. key — the most important part
  23. key — for a lock
  24. spring — a coil

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