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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. rule — a law
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. rock — music
  8. rest — what's left
  9. march — the month
  10. rule — government
  11. toast — bread
  12. fall — to drop
  13. bear — the animal
  14. capital — a city
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. fall — the season
  17. rest — what's left
  18. capital — money
  19. rest — a break
  20. rock — a stone
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bear — the animal
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. march — music

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