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: march · row · stick · pass · calf · tube · current · mine

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. march — music
  7. mine — for digging
  8. march — the month
  9. current — of water
  10. march — the month
  11. tube — a container
  12. row — a line
  13. current — electric
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. current — happening now
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. tube — the underground
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. pass — a permit
  24. mine — belonging to me

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