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

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. swing — to play on
  3. swing — in golf
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. rest — what's left
  6. craft — boats
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — a break
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. roll — a cake
  13. bear — the animal
  14. mate — a partner
  15. swing — music
  16. craft — a skill
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — to grow
  21. roll — a list
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. mate — to breed
  24. bear — the animal

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