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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pop — to visit
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bark — to shout
  7. mate — a friend
  8. rest — a break
  9. season — in sport
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. mate — a partner
  12. season — of the year
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. rest — what's left
  15. pop — music
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. pop — soda
  22. mate — to breed
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. rest — what's left

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