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 116 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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. swing — music
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. ball — a dance
  9. chair — a leader
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. spring — a coil
  14. spring — the season
  15. deal — to handle
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. spring — of water
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mate — a friend
  21. swing — in golf
  22. ball — a great time
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. swing — to play on

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