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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. tear — to rip
  3. club — for golf
  4. charge — electricity
  5. root — of a plant
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. tear — from crying
  8. charge — a price
  9. club — for dancing
  10. root — of a word
  11. march — music
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. root — the cause
  14. tear — from crying
  15. club — a group
  16. march — the month
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. charge — in control

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