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: fan · ruler · jam · trunk · rest · march · land · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — to fit
  3. march — the month
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. rest — what's left
  7. suit — clothes
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. land — ground
  10. march — the month
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. land — to come down
  13. rest — a break
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. rest — what's left
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. land — a country
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. march — music
  24. ruler — a monarch

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