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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. date — the fruit
  8. mate — a friend
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. field — a subject
  11. mate — a partner
  12. foot — a measure
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mate — to breed
  15. season — of the year
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. bass — low music
  18. field — farmland
  19. field — for sport
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bass — the fish
  24. foot — part of the body

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