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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. row — a line
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. roll — a list
  5. march — the month
  6. pass — a permit
  7. cell — a phone
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. court — for sport
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. court — of law
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. roll — a cake
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. row — to paddle
  16. cell — in biology
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. court — of a king
  19. march — music
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. fan — a supporter

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