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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. mate — a friend
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. season — of the year
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. stand — to bear
  11. rash — hasty
  12. season — in sport
  13. mate — a partner
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. rash — a series

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