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 116 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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mate — a partner
  4. net — after costs
  5. net — in sport
  6. mate — to breed
  7. pop — to visit
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mark — a trace
  10. key — the most important part
  11. dip — to sink
  12. mark — a grade
  13. key — for a lock
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. key — in music
  19. pop — music
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. pop — soda
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. nail — for a hammer

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