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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pass · march · fine · bore · key · jam

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — the month
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. fine — high quality
  5. pass — a permit
  6. bore — to tire
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bore — to drill
  9. key — for a lock
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. key — in music
  15. key — the most important part
  16. fine — all right
  17. march — music
  18. fine — a penalty

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