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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — to fit
  3. ball — a dance
  4. chip — to eat
  5. mate — a friend
  6. mate — a partner
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. track — a path
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. prune — to trim
  11. chip — for betting
  12. suit — in cards
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a great time
  16. prune — to trim
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. row — a line
  19. track — to keep track
  20. mate — to breed
  21. row — to paddle
  22. track — a song
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wake — before a funeral

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