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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. drill — the tool
  3. perch — the fish
  4. row — to paddle
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. row — a line
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. march — music
  12. march — the month
  13. pop — music
  14. present — there
  15. drill — a practice
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. drill — army training
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pop — to visit
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pop — soda
  22. present — a gift
  23. present — the time now
  24. march — the month

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