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 band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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. pop — to visit
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. stand — to bear
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bat — the animal
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. pop — music
  17. pop — soda
  18. dip — to sink
  19. march — the month
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bat — in an idiom

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