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: drill · lean · rush · arm · stick · march · can · hide

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. can — a tin
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. drill — the tool
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. march — the month
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. can — a tin
  14. rush — hurry
  15. drill — a practice
  16. lean — thin
  17. lean — to bend
  18. drill — army training
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. can — to be able to
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. march — music
  24. arm — a part of something

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