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 · rest · rash · press · scale · march · row · bay

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. press — a publisher
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. roll — a cake
  5. roll — a list
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. press — to push
  8. march — the month
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. march — music
  11. row — a line
  12. rest — what's left
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. scale — size or range
  16. rash — hasty
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. rest — what's left
  19. row — to paddle
  20. rash — a series
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. rest — a break
  23. scale — in music
  24. press — newspapers

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