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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. pop — soda
  3. band — a ring
  4. spell — a short time
  5. club — a group
  6. spell — magic
  7. pitch — completely
  8. stand — to bear
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. club — for dancing
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. march — the month
  15. band — a music group
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. pop — to visit
  18. club — for golf
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. pop — music
  21. march — music
  22. sharp — clever
  23. spell — letters
  24. pitch — a sports field

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