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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. fork — in a road
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. mate — a partner
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. can — a tin
  7. march — music
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. race — the arms race
  11. can — a tin
  12. mine — for digging
  13. race — humankind
  14. race — a contest
  15. can — to be able to
  16. march — the month
  17. march — the month
  18. rock — a stone
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. mate — a friend
  21. rock — music
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. mate — to breed

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