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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. saw — the tool
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. mate — a partner
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. mate — to breed
  7. suit — in cards
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. rash — hasty
  10. land — ground
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. rock — music
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. saw — the tool
  15. rash — a series
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. land — to come down
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. rock — a stone
  21. mate — a friend
  22. land — a country
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — clothes

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