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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. craft — a skill
  3. present — the time now
  4. present — there
  5. mate — to breed
  6. suit — to fit
  7. staff — a stick
  8. staff — employees
  9. present — a gift
  10. mate — a friend
  11. staff — employees
  12. suit — in cards
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. spring — of water
  15. spring — the season
  16. lie — to recline
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. suit — clothes
  20. craft — boats
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. mate — a partner
  23. spring — a coil
  24. roll — a list

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