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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. pass — a permit
  3. band — a ring
  4. root — of a word
  5. root — the cause
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. march — music
  8. race — a contest
  9. root — of a plant
  10. march — the month
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. race — humankind
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. race — the arms race
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. plane — a tool
  24. band — a music group

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