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: march · ruler · rest · fall · bulb · wound · suit · present

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. suit — in cards
  3. wound — an injury
  4. rest — a break
  5. march — music
  6. fall — to drop
  7. rest — what's left
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. march — the month
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bulb — for light
  13. present — there
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. present — a gift
  16. march — the month
  17. rest — what's left
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bulb — for light
  20. suit — to fit
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. present — the time now
  23. suit — clothes
  24. ruler — for measuring

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