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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pop — music
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. march — the month
  9. branch — a division
  10. march — the month
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. mate — a partner
  13. pop — soda
  14. squash — the sport
  15. mate — to breed
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. march — music
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. squash — to crush
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pitch — completely
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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