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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. march — the month
  4. cold — an illness
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. deal — to handle
  7. board — to get on
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. march — the month
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. cold — not warm
  15. bark — to shout
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. toast — bread
  22. board — a committee
  23. stand — to bear
  24. toast — the most admired

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