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: game · hand · key · bound · bear · march · mark · stand

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. bear — the animal
  3. march — the month
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. march — music
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bound — certain
  9. mark — a trace
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. key — for a lock
  12. stand — to bear
  13. bound — tied together
  14. key — in music
  15. mark — a grade
  16. game — wild animals
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bound — obliged
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. hand — in cards
  21. hand — help
  22. bear — the animal
  23. game — a match
  24. hand — part of the body

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