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: craft · mark · deal · hide · board · march · stick · trunk

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. march — music
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. mark — a trace
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. craft — a skill
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. mark — a grade
  17. deal — to handle
  18. craft — boats
  19. board — to get on
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. board — a committee
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. march — the month

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