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: bear · coach · wax · march · file · craft · track · stand

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. track — to keep track
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. track — a path
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. bear — the animal
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. march — music
  11. march — the month
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. stand — to bear
  17. file — a document
  18. track — a song
  19. bear — the animal
  20. craft — a skill
  21. wax — to grow
  22. file — a line of people
  23. file — a tool
  24. craft — boats

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