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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. march — the month
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pit — in a race
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. bear — the animal
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. march — music
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. sharp — clever
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. pit — a hole

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