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: tube · cold · last · hide · march · track · suit · firm

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. cold — not warm
  3. march — the month
  4. track — a path
  5. track — a song
  6. firm — steady
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. march — the month
  10. last — finally
  11. tube — a container
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. track — to keep track
  14. suit — in cards
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. firm — decided
  17. last — to go on
  18. suit — to fit
  19. tube — the underground
  20. suit — clothes
  21. firm — a company
  22. cold — an illness
  23. last — final
  24. hide — to keep secret

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