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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. squash — to crush
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. march — the month
  7. suit — in cards
  8. court — of law
  9. court — for sport
  10. suit — to fit
  11. court — of a king
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. march — music
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. perch — the fish
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. game — a match
  19. game — wild animals
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. squash — the sport
  23. suit — clothes
  24. dip — to sink

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