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: roll · wax · stick · march · firm · press · trunk · fine

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. roll — a list
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. fine — high quality
  9. march — the month
  10. wax — to grow
  11. march — the month
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. fine — all right
  15. firm — a company
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. press — newspapers
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. firm — decided
  20. roll — a cake
  21. press — to push
  22. press — a publisher
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. march — 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