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 · coach · bear · degree · temple · rest · pass

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  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. rest — a break
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. degree — from a university
  5. march — music
  6. bear — the animal
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rest — what's left
  9. degree — an amount
  10. pass — a permit
  11. march — the month
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bear — the animal
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. degree — temperature
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. rest — what's left
  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