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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. march — the month
  3. present — there
  4. key — for a lock
  5. mug — a face
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. mug — a cup
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. root — of a plant
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — to trim
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ball — a great time
  14. root — the cause
  15. ball — a dance
  16. key — in music
  17. present — the time now
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. march — the month
  20. root — of a word
  21. mug — to rob
  22. key — the most important part
  23. march — music
  24. prune — the fruit

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