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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. mate — a partner
  6. fine — all right
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fine — high quality
  9. mate — a friend
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. season — of the year
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. pound — a weight
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a dance
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. ball — a great time
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. kick — in football
  22. mate — to breed
  23. season — in sport
  24. mouse — the animal

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