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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. march — music
  3. last — to go on
  4. track — a song
  5. present — a gift
  6. cap — a hat
  7. last — finally
  8. object — to protest
  9. bulb — for light
  10. object — a thing
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — to drop
  13. track — to keep track
  14. last — final
  15. cap — of ice
  16. object — an aim
  17. fall — the season
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. present — there
  20. march — the month
  21. track — a path
  22. bulb — for light
  23. present — the time now
  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