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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. march — music
  4. drill — a practice
  5. pitch — completely
  6. bank — of a river
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. firm — a company
  9. bank — for money
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. bank — for money
  12. drill — the tool
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. court — for sport
  15. march — the month
  16. pop — music
  17. drill — army training
  18. pop — to visit
  19. march — the month
  20. court — of a king
  21. pop — soda
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — steady

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