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 120 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 band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — music
  3. field — farmland
  4. prune — to trim
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. scale — size or range
  9. can — a tin
  10. march — the month
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. can — to be able to
  14. field — for sport
  15. field — a subject
  16. can — a tin
  17. scale — in music
  18. prune — to trim
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. prune — the fruit

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