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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. dip — to sink
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. last — finally
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. last — final
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. march — the month
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. rock — music
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. rock — a stone
  17. last — to go on
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. march — music
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. arm — part of the body

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