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 116 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 band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — music
  3. last — to go on
  4. bass — the fish
  5. object — a thing
  6. bark — to shout
  7. last — finally
  8. bulb — for light
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. chair — a leader
  13. march — the month
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. object — to protest
  16. last — final
  17. object — an aim
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. bulb — for light
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. bass — low music

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