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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. date — the fruit
  3. march — the month
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. march — the month
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. land — to come down
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. charge — electricity
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — in control
  17. land — a country
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. land — ground
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. perch — the fish
  24. perch — for a bird

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