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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. kid — child
  4. suit — to fit
  5. mate — to breed
  6. toast — bread
  7. suit — clothes
  8. last — final
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. last — to go on
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. kid — to tease
  14. mate — a partner
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. suit — in cards
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. wake — a trail
  20. stock — shares
  21. stock — goods
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. last — finally
  24. patient — a sick person

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