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: root · bay · tube · wake · leaves · march · cap · stock

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — the month
  3. stock — goods
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. march — music
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. cap — of ice
  10. wake — a trail
  11. cap — a lid
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. root — the cause
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. root — of a plant
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — shares
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. root — of a word
  21. cap — a hat
  22. tube — the underground
  23. tube — a container
  24. leaves — lets stay

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