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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. charge — a price
  9. charge — electricity
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. mate — to breed
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. saw — the tool
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. mate — a partner
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. mate — a friend
  18. wake — a trail
  19. fine — high quality
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. charge — in control
  24. saw — the tool

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