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 116 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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. track — to keep track
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. club — for dancing
  5. club — for golf
  6. march — the month
  7. march — music
  8. march — the month
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. track — a path
  12. branch — a division
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. scale — in music
  15. scale — size or range
  16. suit — to fit
  17. track — a song
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. row — to paddle
  20. suit — in cards
  21. club — a group
  22. rock — music
  23. rock — a stone
  24. row — a line

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