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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — to fit
  3. march — the month
  4. stock — shares
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. cap — a lid
  7. pass — a permit
  8. march — the month
  9. cap — of ice
  10. cap — a hat
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. march — music
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. tube — a container
  15. stock — goods
  16. suit — clothes
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. tube — the underground

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