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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. track — a path
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. mate — a friend
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. track — a song
  10. toast — bread
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. kid — to tease
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. deal — to handle
  15. kid — child
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. perch — the fish
  19. track — to keep track
  20. mate — a partner
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. coach — a trainer

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