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 ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  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. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. march — the month
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. track — a path
  8. foot — a measure
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. wound — an injury
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. rash — hasty
  13. track — to keep track
  14. deal — to handle
  15. track — a song
  16. rash — a series
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. march — the month
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. wound — an injury
  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