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 · stand · mark · branch · face · mug · nail · bound

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bound — certain
  3. march — the month
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. bound — obliged
  6. stand — to bear
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bound — tied together
  10. mug — a face
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mark — a grade
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. face — part of the head
  16. mark — a trace
  17. march — music
  18. branch — a division
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. march — the month
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. face — to point toward
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. face — to confront

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