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 116 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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. mate — to breed
  3. perch — the fish
  4. rule — a law
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. march — the month
  7. sharp — clever
  8. mate — a partner
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. tube — a container
  13. march — the month
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. rule — government
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. march — music
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. deal — to handle
  23. tube — the underground
  24. bank — for money

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