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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. march — the month
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. march — the month
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. drill — army training
  7. dip — to sink
  8. lie — to recline
  9. drill — the tool
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. fine — high quality
  12. march — music
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. current — electric
  15. scale — in music
  16. current — of water
  17. fine — all right
  18. current — happening now
  19. drill — a practice
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. scale — size or range
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. lie — an untruth

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