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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. bass — the fish
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. drill — the tool
  7. bound — certain
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bass — low music
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bound — obliged
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bound — tied together
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bear — the animal
  17. drill — army training
  18. march — the month
  19. march — music
  20. drill — a practice
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bulb — for light
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bulb — for light

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