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 · chair · fall · foot · club · mark · craft · roll

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. craft — boats
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — the season
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. craft — a skill
  7. foot — a measure
  8. roll — a list
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mark — a grade
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. march — music
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. chair — a leader
  16. roll — a cake
  17. fall — to drop
  18. club — for dancing
  19. march — the month
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. march — the month
  23. club — a group
  24. club — for golf

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