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 124 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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. scale — in music
  3. mine — for digging
  4. net — for catching
  5. march — music
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. press — to push
  8. suit — clothes
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. rest — what's left
  12. march — the month
  13. suit — in cards
  14. press — newspapers
  15. suit — to fit
  16. press — a publisher
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. net — in sport
  19. march — the month
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. rest — a break
  22. net — after costs
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. scale — size or range

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