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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. last — to go on
  6. foot — a measure
  7. content — the amount
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. march — the month
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. stand — to bear
  13. last — final
  14. last — finally
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. pit — in a race
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. pass — a permit
  22. march — music
  23. content — happy
  24. cabinet — ministers

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