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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. drill — the tool
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. drill — army training
  9. march — the month
  10. march — the month
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — the season
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. drill — a practice
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. snap — to click
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. bark — to shout
  22. plane — a tool
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. march — music

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