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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. scale — in music
  3. track — a path
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. track — to keep track
  7. rush — hurry
  8. swing — music
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. pit — in a race
  11. track — a song
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. swing — to play on
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. swing — in golf
  19. march — music
  20. march — the month
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. scale — size or range
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pit — a hole

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