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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. pound — a weight
  3. charge — in control
  4. charge — a price
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. wake — a trail
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. mate — a partner
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. charge — electricity
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mate — to breed
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. fork — in a road
  23. season — in sport
  24. straw — a straw man

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