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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. march — the month
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. lie — to recline
  5. march — the month
  6. firm — steady
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. scale — in music
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. march — music
  11. pitch — completely
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. firm — decided
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. firm — a company
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. scale — size or range
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. saw — the tool
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. scale — for weighing

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