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 120 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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. suit — in cards
  5. march — the month
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pop — music
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. march — the month
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. pop — soda
  13. suit — clothes
  14. pop — to visit
  15. march — music
  16. wake — a trail
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. suit — to fit

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