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: bear · suit · march · patient · mark · snap · club · sharp

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. bear — the animal
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. suit — clothes
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. club — for golf
  7. club — for dancing
  8. suit — to fit
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bear — the animal
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. march — music
  13. snap — to click
  14. sharp — clever
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. club — a group
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. mark — a grade
  22. suit — in cards
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. march — the month

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