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 116 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 · drill · cabinet · pit · season · suit · tear · nail

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. march — the month
  4. suit — to fit
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. tear — to rip
  8. march — music
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. suit — clothes
  11. pit — in a race
  12. tear — from crying
  13. drill — a practice
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. drill — the tool
  16. drill — army training
  17. season — in sport
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. march — the month
  20. tear — from crying
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pit — a hole
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. season — of the year

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