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 are we going to ________________?
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. land — a country
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. march — music
  5. root — of a word
  6. bound — certain
  7. march — the month
  8. pop — soda
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. march — the month
  12. board — a committee
  13. bound — obliged
  14. pop — to visit
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. root — of a plant
  17. pop — music
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bound — tied together
  20. land — ground
  21. kid — child
  22. board — to get on
  23. root — the cause
  24. kid — to tease

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