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 120 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: pass · cap · rest · march · tear · cue · mug · craft

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. craft — a skill
  3. craft — boats
  4. cue — a signal
  5. march — the month
  6. cap — a hat
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. cap — a lid
  9. march — music
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. mug — a cup
  13. rest — what's left
  14. tear — from crying
  15. tear — from crying
  16. rest — a break
  17. rest — what's left
  18. cap — of ice
  19. cue — a hint
  20. mug — a face
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. tear — to rip
  23. mug — to rob
  24. cue — for pool

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