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: pass · march · rest · capital · hide · temple · bark · bear

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. capital — money
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. march — music
  7. march — the month
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. bark — to shout
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. bear — the animal
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bear — the animal
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. march — the month
  18. pass — a permit
  19. rest — what's left
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rest — what's left
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. capital — a city
  24. hide — animal skin

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