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: racket · capital · march · deal · bore · safe · kick · root

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. march — music
  4. root — the cause
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. root — of a plant
  10. root — of a word
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. capital — a city
  13. kick — in football
  14. capital — money
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bore — to tire
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. bore — to drill
  20. deal — to handle
  21. march — the month
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. march — the month
  24. safe — out of danger

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