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: march · date · net · row · key · bear · mark · cue

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. cue — a signal
  3. march — the month
  4. mark — a trace
  5. bear — the animal
  6. row — a line
  7. date — the fruit
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. key — the most important part
  11. net — for catching
  12. cue — a hint
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. net — in sport
  15. key — in music
  16. cue — for pool
  17. row — to paddle
  18. march — the month
  19. key — for a lock
  20. mark — a grade
  21. march — music
  22. net — after costs
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mark — to pay attention

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