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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. net — for catching
  4. present — the time now
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. present — a gift
  7. net — in sport
  8. kick — in football
  9. content — the amount
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. content — happy
  12. chair — a leader
  13. mate — to breed
  14. present — there
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. mate — a friend
  20. band — a music group
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. mate — a partner
  24. net — after costs

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