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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. object — a thing
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. object — an aim
  5. tube — the underground
  6. mug — a cup
  7. board — a committee
  8. object — to protest
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. mate — to breed
  12. net — after costs
  13. mate — a partner
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. net — in sport
  17. mug — a face
  18. board — to get on
  19. net — for catching
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. pit — in a race
  22. tube — a container
  23. pit — a hole
  24. mug — to rob

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