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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. hand — in cards
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. fine — high quality
  9. ground — the earth
  10. ground — crushed
  11. mate — a partner
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. fine — all right
  15. ground — a position
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hand — help
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. mate — a friend
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. branch — a division
  24. pass — a permit

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