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 116 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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. field — farmland
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. current — of water
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. press — to push
  8. mate — a friend
  9. field — for sport
  10. march — the month
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. mate — a partner
  14. current — electric
  15. field — a subject
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. march — the month
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. press — newspapers
  22. mate — to breed
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. current — happening now

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