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 116 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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mate — to breed
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. rash — a series
  7. suit — in cards
  8. content — the amount
  9. suit — to fit
  10. snap — to click
  11. last — to go on
  12. rash — hasty
  13. last — final
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. bank — for money
  16. last — finally
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. suit — clothes
  19. content — happy
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bank — for money
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. mate — a friend
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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