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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. craft — a skill
  4. mate — a partner
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. row — to paddle
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. clip — a video
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. key — the most important part
  11. swing — to play on
  12. mate — to breed
  13. row — a line
  14. craft — boats
  15. clip — to cut
  16. swing — in golf
  17. date — the fruit
  18. clip — for paper
  19. swing — music
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. key — in music
  24. key — for a lock

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