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: present · bear · march · rock · face · pound · nail · hide

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. present — the time now
  3. present — there
  4. face — to point toward
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. rock — music
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. face — part of the head
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. march — the month
  13. march — music
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pound — a weight
  16. face — to confront
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. rock — a stone
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. present — a gift
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. pound — for dogs

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