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: suit · march · board · craft · rest · rush · drill · chest

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. drill — army training
  3. rest — what's left
  4. suit — in cards
  5. march — the month
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rest — a break
  8. board — a committee
  9. suit — clothes
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. drill — the tool
  13. craft — boats
  14. chest — of your body
  15. suit — to fit
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. march — music
  18. craft — a skill
  19. rush — hurry
  20. chest — a box
  21. rest — what's left
  22. drill — a practice
  23. march — the month
  24. board — to get on

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