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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. mug — a cup
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. staff — employees
  6. march — the month
  7. key — the most important part
  8. club — for golf
  9. mug — a face
  10. key — in music
  11. staff — a stick
  12. club — for dancing
  13. firm — a company
  14. staff — employees
  15. firm — decided
  16. firm — steady
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. mug — to rob
  20. march — the month
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. prune — to trim
  23. key — for a lock
  24. club — a group

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