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: cap · bay · bank · march · rock · nail · spell · trunk

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. cap — of ice
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. march — the month
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. rock — a stone
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. march — music
  12. bank — for money
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. spell — magic
  16. bank — of a river
  17. rock — music
  18. bank — for money
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cap — a lid
  23. spell — a short time
  24. spell — letters

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