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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. march — the month
  5. root — the cause
  6. ground — crushed
  7. drill — army training
  8. root — of a word
  9. drill — the tool
  10. key — for a lock
  11. root — of a plant
  12. drill — a practice
  13. march — the month
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bulb — for light
  19. ground — the earth
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bulb — for light
  22. key — the most important part
  23. key — in music
  24. ground — a position

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