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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. hand — help
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. fall — to drop
  6. fall — the season
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. rule — government
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. march — the month
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. band — a ring
  17. band — a music group
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. rule — a law
  20. hand — in cards
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. plane — a tool
  23. march — music
  24. fall — to drop

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