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: stick · rock · suit · march · rash · ground · mate · fine

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. march — music
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. fine — high quality
  6. rash — a series
  7. fine — all right
  8. rock — a stone
  9. mate — a partner
  10. march — the month
  11. suit — to fit
  12. rock — music
  13. suit — clothes
  14. march — the month
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. ground — crushed
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. rash — hasty
  21. ground — the earth
  22. mate — a friend
  23. ground — a position
  24. mate — to breed

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