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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. staff — employees
  3. bound — obliged
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. bound — tied together
  8. cold — not warm
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. staff — employees
  11. march — the month
  12. bound — certain
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. mark — a trace
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. march — music
  17. cold — an illness
  18. staff — a stick
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pass — a permit
  23. march — the month
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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