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 band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. swing — in golf
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. squash — to crush
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. march — the month
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. row — a line
  17. swing — to play on
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. march — the month
  20. squash — the sport
  21. lie — to recline
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. swing — music
  24. row — to paddle

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