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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. rest — what's left
  3. current — of water
  4. bark — to shout
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. march — music
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. march — the month
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. current — happening now
  12. bear — the animal
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pop — music
  15. rest — what's left
  16. cap — a lid
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. pop — soda
  19. pop — to visit
  20. cap — of ice
  21. current — electric
  22. march — the month
  23. bear — the animal
  24. cap — a hat

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