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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. march — music
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. can — a tin
  5. march — the month
  6. drill — a practice
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. mate — a partner
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. can — to be able to
  13. root — of a word
  14. drill — army training
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. drill — the tool
  17. root — of a plant
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. mark — a trace
  20. can — a tin
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. root — the cause
  23. mate — a friend
  24. march — the month

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