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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. club — for dancing
  5. ground — the earth
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. rush — hurry
  8. stem — to come from
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. lie — to recline
  11. ground — crushed
  12. club — for golf
  13. prune — to trim
  14. ground — a position
  15. mate — to breed
  16. club — a group
  17. prune — to trim
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. mate — a friend
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. pass — a permit
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. stem — of a plant

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