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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. march — the month
  3. swing — in golf
  4. ground — the earth
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bank — of a river
  7. march — the month
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. ground — crushed
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rush — hurry
  12. bank — for money
  13. wake — a trail
  14. ground — a position
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. swing — to play on
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. swing — music
  20. bear — the animal
  21. march — music
  22. kick — in football
  23. bank — for money
  24. kick — with a leg

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