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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bat — the animal
  4. present — the time now
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. court — of a king
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. suit — to fit
  12. wake — a trail
  13. suit — in cards
  14. present — a gift
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. mate — a partner
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. present — there
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. suit — clothes
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. court — for sport
  23. mate — a friend
  24. court — of law

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