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: fan · temple · rock · pitch · march · deal · stand · sharp

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. march — the month
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. rock — a stone
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. march — music
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. deal — to handle
  16. march — the month
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. sharp — clever
  20. pitch — completely
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. stand — to bear
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. rock — music

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