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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. mate — a friend
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. roll — a cake
  5. mate — a partner
  6. suit — to fit
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. roll — a list
  13. tear — to rip
  14. ball — a great time
  15. suit — in cards
  16. current — electric
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — from crying
  19. current — of water
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. mate — to breed
  23. suit — clothes
  24. current — happening now

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