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 120 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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. march — the month
  5. bulb — for light
  6. cue — a hint
  7. spell — magic
  8. cue — for pool
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. spell — letters
  11. pound — a weight
  12. cue — a signal
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. spell — a short time
  15. rest — a break
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. march — the month
  23. march — music
  24. pitch — completely

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