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: march · fall · object · safe · bore · hide · swing · craft

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. fall — to drop
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. march — the month
  5. swing — in golf
  6. swing — to play on
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. fall — the season
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. object — a thing
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bore — to drill
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. fall — to drop
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. march — the month
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. object — an aim
  21. craft — boats
  22. bore — to tire
  23. swing — music
  24. object — to protest

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