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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. club — a group
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. spring — a coil
  5. sharp — clever
  6. rest — a break
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. club — for golf
  9. rest — what's left
  10. mate — a partner
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. rest — what's left
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. spring — of water
  16. spring — the season
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. pass — a permit
  19. mate — to breed
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. lie — to recline
  24. club — for dancing

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