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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. rash — a series
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. key — the most important part
  6. march — the month
  7. squash — to crush
  8. squash — the sport
  9. row — a line
  10. march — music
  11. rash — hasty
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. wax — to grow
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. key — for a lock
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. key — in music
  23. row — to paddle
  24. row — a quarrel

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