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 120 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: lie · craft · march · cap · mine · leaves · game · rock

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. cap — a lid
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. mine — for digging
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cap — of ice
  8. game — a match
  9. craft — a skill
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. rock — a stone
  13. march — the month
  14. game — wild animals
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. march — the month
  21. craft — boats
  22. lie — to recline
  23. rock — music
  24. game — a kind of play

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