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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. rest — what's left
  3. fall — to drop
  4. march — the month
  5. fall — the season
  6. rest — a break
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fork — in a road
  12. rock — a stone
  13. march — the month
  14. rest — what's left
  15. march — music
  16. rock — music
  17. fine — all right
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. fine — high quality
  21. rash — a series
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. branch — a division
  24. fine — a penalty

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