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 120 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. swing — in golf
  4. rest — what's left
  5. march — music
  6. rest — what's left
  7. pit — in a race
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. march — the month
  10. spell — magic
  11. present — a gift
  12. swing — to play on
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. pit — a hole
  16. content — the amount
  17. rest — a break
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. content — happy
  20. present — there
  21. spell — letters
  22. march — the month
  23. swing — music
  24. present — the time now

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