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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. mark — a grade
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. mate — to breed
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. mate — a partner
  14. bound — obliged
  15. mate — a friend
  16. bound — tied together
  17. chair — a leader
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. stem — to come from
  22. bound — certain
  23. mark — a trace
  24. ball — a dance

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