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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. mate — to breed
  4. firm — a company
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. mate — a partner
  7. current — of water
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. current — electric
  10. swing — in golf
  11. current — happening now
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. wake — a trail
  16. craft — boats
  17. firm — steady
  18. craft — a skill
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. swing — music
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. firm — decided
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. swing — to play on

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