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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. object — a thing
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. face — to point toward
  5. march — the month
  6. club — for golf
  7. face — to confront
  8. object — to protest
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. face — part of the head
  12. stock — goods
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — happy
  15. stock — shares
  16. march — the month
  17. club — for dancing
  18. object — an aim
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. club — a group
  21. lie — to recline
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. rush — hurry
  24. stock — a soup base

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