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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. spring — of water
  4. net — for catching
  5. rest — a break
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. capital — a city
  9. mate — to breed
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. spring — the season
  13. net — in sport
  14. spring — a coil
  15. capital — money
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. rest — what's left
  18. mate — a partner
  19. saw — the tool
  20. rest — what's left
  21. net — after costs
  22. mate — a friend
  23. saw — the tool
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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