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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — to bear
  3. drill — a practice
  4. march — the month
  5. march — the month
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. drill — the tool
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. march — music
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. bound — obliged
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. current — electric
  16. pit — a hole
  17. current — of water
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bound — certain
  20. foot — a measure
  21. current — happening now
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. drill — army training
  24. pit — in a race

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