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 116 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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pass — a permit
  6. mug — a face
  7. last — finally
  8. stock — shares
  9. last — to go on
  10. key — in music
  11. suit — to fit
  12. mark — a trace
  13. march — music
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — clothes
  16. mark — a grade
  17. stock — goods
  18. key — the most important part
  19. march — the month
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mug — a cup
  22. key — for a lock
  23. march — the month
  24. pass — to spend time

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