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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. club — a group
  4. club — for dancing
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. march — the month
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. club — for golf
  11. ground — crushed
  12. can — a tin
  13. pit — in a race
  14. can — a tin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. ground — a position
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. march — the month
  19. can — to be able to
  20. march — music
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. ground — the earth
  24. pit — a hole

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