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: pit · suit · root · march · mug · tear · bass · bore

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. tear — to rip
  3. mug — a cup
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bore — to tire
  8. mug — to rob
  9. bass — low music
  10. mug — a face
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — in cards
  13. tear — from crying
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bass — the fish
  16. pit — a hole
  17. root — the cause
  18. march — the month
  19. march — the month
  20. root — of a word
  21. tear — from crying
  22. bore — to drill
  23. suit — to fit
  24. pit — in a race

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