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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bear — the animal
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. craft — a skill
  6. game — wild animals
  7. craft — boats
  8. mate — to breed
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. rush — hurry
  11. current — of water
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. mate — a partner
  15. toast — bread
  16. bear — the animal
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. current — happening now
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. current — electric
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. mate — a friend

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