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: stem · mine · bay · season · march · stick · squash · fork

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. fork — in a road
  4. season — in sport
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. march — the month
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. mine — for digging
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. season — of the year
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. squash — the sport
  21. march — the month
  22. squash — to crush
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. stem — to come from

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