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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. mate — a friend
  3. hand — in cards
  4. mate — a partner
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. bound — obliged
  7. mate — to breed
  8. rule — a law
  9. kid — child
  10. date — the fruit
  11. mug — a cup
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bound — tied together
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mug — a face
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. mug — to rob
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. rule — government
  20. kid — to tease
  21. hand — help
  22. bound — certain
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. rule — to rule out

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