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: leaves · bass · suit · firm · chair · row · march · saw

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — in cards
  5. march — music
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bass — low music
  9. row — to paddle
  10. firm — steady
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. firm — decided
  13. march — the month
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. suit — to fit
  18. chair — a leader
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. row — a line
  22. march — the month
  23. bass — the fish
  24. leaves — to go away

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