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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bark — to shout
  3. march — music
  4. suit — clothes
  5. march — the month
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. suit — to fit
  9. key — the most important part
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. key — in music
  12. kick — in football
  13. bound — certain
  14. race — a contest
  15. race — the arms race
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. chair — a leader
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. race — humankind
  21. march — the month
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bound — obliged
  24. key — for a lock

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