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: mate · march · drill · lean · chest · charge · capital · bay

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. march — the month
  3. charge — in control
  4. mate — to breed
  5. chest — of your body
  6. mate — a friend
  7. chest — of your body
  8. capital — a city
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. capital — money
  11. march — the month
  12. drill — the tool
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. charge — electricity
  17. mate — a partner
  18. lean — thin
  19. charge — a price
  20. chest — a box
  21. drill — a practice
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. lean — to bend
  24. drill — army training

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