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: lash · pass · mark · content · land · march · bound · net

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. land — to come down
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. land — a country
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bound — tied together
  8. pass — a permit
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. net — for catching
  12. bound — certain
  13. content — happy
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. mark — a grade
  16. content — the amount
  17. march — the month
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. march — the month
  20. bound — obliged
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. net — after costs
  23. march — music
  24. net — in sport

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