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: coach · wax · row · march · fine · staff · rush · suit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. march — the month
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. fine — all right
  5. suit — clothes
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. rush — hurry
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. suit — in cards
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. fine — high quality
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. row — a line
  14. wax — to grow
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. march — the month
  18. staff — a stick
  19. row — to paddle
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. staff — employees
  22. march — music
  23. staff — employees
  24. fine — a penalty

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