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 120 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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  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. mate — to breed
  2. spring — a coil
  3. spring — of water
  4. spring — the season
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — to recline
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. rush — hurry
  12. foot — a measure
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. mate — a partner
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. fork — in a road
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  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