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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. cap — a lid
  3. mate — a partner
  4. mark — a trace
  5. row — to paddle
  6. mate — to breed
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. net — after costs
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. row — a line
  14. net — for catching
  15. cap — a hat
  16. date — the fruit
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. cap — of ice
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. mate — a friend
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. mark — a grade

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