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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. fork — in a road
  3. mate — to breed
  4. staff — employees
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. chair — a leader
  7. mate — a partner
  8. staff — employees
  9. ball — a dance
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. swing — in golf
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. staff — a stick
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. tube — a container
  16. tube — the underground
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. swing — music
  20. ball — a great time
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. swing — to play on
  24. ball — a round shape

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