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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. march — the month
  4. pop — soda
  5. pop — music
  6. wound — an injury
  7. bear — the animal
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. pop — to visit
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. squash — to crush
  12. suit — in cards
  13. saw — the tool
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. bear — the animal
  17. squash — the sport
  18. saw — the tool
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. march — the month
  21. march — music
  22. suit — clothes
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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