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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. wake — a trail
  4. bound — tied together
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bound — obliged
  10. march — music
  11. hand — in cards
  12. last — to go on
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. swing — music
  15. last — finally
  16. march — the month
  17. swing — in golf
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. last — final
  20. hand — help
  21. bound — certain
  22. swing — to play on
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. leaves — to go away

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