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 124 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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. charge — a price
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. firm — a company
  7. hand — help
  8. firm — decided
  9. march — the month
  10. charge — in control
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. drill — a practice
  15. prune — to trim
  16. firm — steady
  17. charge — electricity
  18. wake — a trail
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. drill — the tool
  21. prune — to trim
  22. drill — army training
  23. march — music
  24. hand — in cards

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