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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. suit — to fit
  4. prune — to trim
  5. march — the month
  6. cell — a phone
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. rock — music
  9. press — a publisher
  10. march — the month
  11. press — to push
  12. suit — clothes
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. prune — to trim
  15. suit — in cards
  16. charge — in control
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. charge — a price
  19. rock — a stone
  20. charge — electricity
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. cell — in biology
  23. press — newspapers
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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