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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. mate — a partner
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. rest — what's left
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. club — a group
  7. wound — an injury
  8. board — to get on
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. press — newspapers
  12. deal — to handle
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — a committee
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. mate — to breed
  17. press — to push
  18. press — a publisher
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bank — for money
  21. rest — a break
  22. club — for dancing
  23. rest — what's left
  24. club — for golf

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