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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. pass — a permit
  3. can — to be able to
  4. march — the month
  5. spring — a coil
  6. march — the month
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. spring — of water
  12. shower — to wash
  13. foot — a measure
  14. shower — rain
  15. can — a tin
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. spring — the season
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. can — a tin
  23. rush — hurry
  24. ruler — for measuring

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