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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. march — the month
  4. fall — to drop
  5. mate — a partner
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. staff — a stick
  9. fall — to drop
  10. mate — a friend
  11. roll — a list
  12. march — the month
  13. staff — employees
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. roll — a cake
  18. deal — to handle
  19. march — music
  20. staff — employees
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. toast — bread
  23. fall — the season
  24. deal — an agreement

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