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: rush · drill · toast · suit · tear · date · march · jam

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. drill — a practice
  3. march — the month
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. date — the fruit
  6. rush — hurry
  7. suit — to fit
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. tear — from crying
  10. toast — bread
  11. march — the month
  12. march — music
  13. tear — to rip
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. suit — clothes
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. drill — army training
  20. drill — the tool
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. suit — in cards

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