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 120 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mate — a friend
  3. file — a tool
  4. mark — a trace
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mate — a partner
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. mug — a face
  10. file — a line of people
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — to bear
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wake — a trail
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. mate — to breed
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. file — a document
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. stand — on your feet

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