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 will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. rock — a stone
  4. pit — in a race
  5. ball — a dance
  6. march — music
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. bore — to drill
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. ball — a great time
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. scale — size or range
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. rock — music
  18. bore — to tire
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. pit — a hole
  21. scale — in music
  22. march — the month
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. mark — a trace

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