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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bound — tied together
  6. mate — to breed
  7. last — final
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bound — obliged
  10. saw — the tool
  11. staff — employees
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bound — certain
  14. track — to keep track
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. track — a path
  17. last — finally
  18. mate — a partner
  19. track — a song
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mate — a friend
  22. last — to go on
  23. staff — a stick
  24. saw — the tool

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