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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. mark — a trace
  3. club — for golf
  4. race — the arms race
  5. club — for dancing
  6. press — newspapers
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. press — a publisher
  9. press — to push
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. fork — in a road
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. bear — the animal
  15. race — humankind
  16. club — a group
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. bear — the animal
  19. race — a contest
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mate — to breed
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. mark — a grade

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