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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. band — a ring
  3. drill — army training
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. mug — a face
  6. mug — to rob
  7. saw — the tool
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. bulb — for light
  10. drill — a practice
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. march — the month
  14. drill — the tool
  15. rock — a stone
  16. march — music
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mate — a partner
  20. rock — music
  21. band — a music group
  22. march — the month
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mug — a cup

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