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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. rest — what's left
  3. march — the month
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bank — for money
  8. present — there
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. present — the time now
  11. wound — an injury
  12. key — in music
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bank — for money
  15. march — music
  16. rest — a break
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — the most important part
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bore — to tire
  24. march — the month

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