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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. drill — a practice
  3. court — of law
  4. bass — low music
  5. branch — a division
  6. court — of a king
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. march — music
  10. march — the month
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. march — the month
  15. drill — the tool
  16. court — for sport
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. lean — to bend
  19. drill — army training
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bass — the fish
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. lean — thin

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