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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. bank — of a river
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. march — the month
  5. march — music
  6. field — a subject
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. roll — a cake
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. roll — a list
  12. field — farmland
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. bank — for money
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. field — for sport
  20. march — the month
  21. mark — a grade
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bank — for money
  24. trunk — of a car

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