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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. mate — a partner
  4. march — the month
  5. capital — a city
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. board — a committee
  8. suit — to fit
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — boats
  11. suit — clothes
  12. capital — money
  13. kick — in football
  14. board — to get on
  15. craft — a skill
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. march — the month
  20. suit — in cards
  21. mate — to breed
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. mate — a friend
  24. perch — for a bird

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