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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. mate — a partner
  3. march — the month
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. roll — a cake
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. firm — steady
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. firm — decided
  14. kick — in football
  15. roll — a list
  16. mate — a friend
  17. mate — to breed
  18. firm — a company
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. tube — a container
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. tube — the underground
  23. march — music
  24. roll — on a roll

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