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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. swing — music
  3. squash — the sport
  4. last — final
  5. last — to go on
  6. stand — to bear
  7. last — finally
  8. march — the month
  9. march — the month
  10. stock — shares
  11. stock — goods
  12. board — to get on
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. swing — in golf
  15. staff — employees
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. swing — to play on
  18. staff — employees
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. board — a committee
  21. staff — a stick
  22. march — music
  23. squash — to crush
  24. board — a flat piece

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