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 116 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 · club · lie · wave · safe · field · coach · firm

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. field — a subject
  4. field — for sport
  5. firm — decided
  6. firm — steady
  7. march — music
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. club — for golf
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. field — farmland
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. march — the month
  14. club — for dancing
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. firm — a company
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. club — a group
  23. march — the month
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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