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: jam · rest · sharp · wound · drill · march · lie · deal

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. drill — army training
  3. wound — an injury
  4. march — the month
  5. rest — what's left
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. drill — a practice
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. march — the month
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. wound — an injury
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. rest — a break
  17. march — music
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. deal — to handle
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. sharp — clever
  22. drill — the tool
  23. lie — to recline
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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