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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. rock — music
  3. mate — to breed
  4. deal — to handle
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. object — an aim
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. rock — a stone
  12. object — a thing
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pit — in a race
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. object — to protest
  18. stock — shares
  19. pit — a hole
  20. mate — a friend
  21. stock — goods
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. lie — to recline
  24. lie — an untruth

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