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 120 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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — music
  3. swing — in golf
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. dip — to sink
  8. saw — the tool
  9. squash — to crush
  10. bear — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bear — the animal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. march — the month
  17. swing — to play on
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. squash — the sport
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. swing — music
  24. dip — a sauce

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