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: row · bowl · spring · ground · pit · march · safe · band

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. ground — a position
  3. spring — the season
  4. spring — of water
  5. ground — the earth
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. ground — crushed
  8. march — music
  9. row — to paddle
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pit — in a race
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. band — a music group
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. pit — a hole
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. row — a line
  20. band — a ring
  21. spring — a coil
  22. march — the month
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. bowl — a football final

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