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: bowl · chair · march · craft · saw · present

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. present — there
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. present — a gift
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. chair — a leader
  9. present — the time now
  10. saw — the tool
  11. march — the month
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — a skill
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. march — music
  17. craft — boats
  18. bowl — a football final

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