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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. current — electric
  3. clip — for paper
  4. date — the fruit
  5. sharp — clever
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. current — happening now
  8. cue — a signal
  9. tube — the underground
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. clip — to cut
  12. cue — for pool
  13. clip — a video
  14. march — the month
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bound — obliged
  17. cue — a hint
  18. tube — a container
  19. bound — certain
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. current — of water
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. march — the month

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