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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. mate — to breed
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a great time
  6. branch — a division
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. present — there
  9. saw — the tool
  10. suit — in cards
  11. ball — a dance
  12. present — a gift
  13. field — for sport
  14. suit — clothes
  15. lie — to recline
  16. field — farmland
  17. mate — a friend
  18. present — the time now
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. saw — the tool
  21. mate — a partner
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. suit — to fit
  24. field — a subject

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