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: racket · march · bulb · firm · mate · last · stand · root

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. march — music
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bulb — for light
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. firm — a company
  8. march — the month
  9. root — the cause
  10. firm — decided
  11. mate — to breed
  12. last — final
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. stand — to bear
  15. last — to go on
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. mate — a friend
  18. root — of a plant
  19. march — the month
  20. mate — a partner
  21. last — finally
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. root — of a word
  24. firm — steady

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