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 · lean · stick · present · cap · dip · board · march

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. lean — thin
  3. march — the month
  4. lean — to bend
  5. board — to get on
  6. dip — to sink
  7. cap — a lid
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. cap — a hat
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. march — the month
  16. cap — of ice
  17. present — the time now
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. march — music
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. present — there
  23. board — a committee
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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