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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. mate — a partner
  3. club — for golf
  4. mug — to rob
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. mate — to breed
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. rock — a stone
  10. mug — a face
  11. hand — in cards
  12. mug — a cup
  13. mate — a friend
  14. club — a group
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. hand — help
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. club — for dancing
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. season — of the year
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. season — in sport
  24. rock — music

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