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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. suit — in cards
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. mate — to breed
  8. swing — in golf
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. object — to protest
  11. craft — boats
  12. craft — a skill
  13. object — an aim
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. swing — music
  16. suit — to fit
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. object — a thing
  20. suit — clothes
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. mate — a partner
  24. swing — to play on

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