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 116 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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. march — music
  3. staff — a stick
  4. pop — soda
  5. march — the month
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — the time now
  9. last — final
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pop — music
  12. last — finally
  13. stand — to bear
  14. court — for sport
  15. staff — employees
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. staff — employees
  18. present — there
  19. march — the month
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. court — of a king
  22. court — of law
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. nail — on a finger

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