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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. wake — a trail
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. drill — army training
  6. last — to go on
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. last — final
  11. drill — the tool
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. drill — a practice
  16. last — finally
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. ball — a dance
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mate — a friend
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. ball — a great time
  24. mate — to breed

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