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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. spell — magic
  3. row — a line
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. stand — to bear
  6. row — to paddle
  7. degree — an amount
  8. mate — a friend
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. mate — a partner
  12. spell — letters
  13. degree — from a university
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. degree — temperature
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. spell — a short time
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. mate — to breed
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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