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 120 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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. suit — clothes
  4. march — the month
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bank — for money
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. march — music
  9. hand — in cards
  10. hand — help
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bank — of a river
  13. ground — a position
  14. bank — for money
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. suit — in cards
  18. suit — to fit
  19. march — the month
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. ground — the earth
  23. ground — crushed
  24. pound — a weight

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