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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. spell — magic
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bear — the animal
  5. lean — to bend
  6. mate — to breed
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fine — all right
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. spell — a short time
  11. mate — a friend
  12. rock — music
  13. race — humankind
  14. lean — thin
  15. bear — the animal
  16. race — a contest
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. race — the arms race
  19. fine — high quality
  20. fork — in a road
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. spell — letters
  23. rock — a stone
  24. lean — to rest against

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