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

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. march — music
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. march — the month
  7. bulb — for light
  8. march — the month
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. squash — the sport
  14. bulb — for light
  15. branch — a division
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. face — to confront
  19. squash — to crush
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. face — to point toward
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. stand — to bear
  24. face — part of the head

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