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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. content — happy
  3. mate — a partner
  4. stand — to bear
  5. can — to be able to
  6. mate — a friend
  7. key — the most important part
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. rush — hurry
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. can — a tin
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. can — a tin
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. key — for a lock
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. key — in music
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. content — the amount

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