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 120 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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. perch — the fish
  5. fine — all right
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. hand — help
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. fine — high quality
  10. mate — a friend
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. present — the time now
  13. present — there
  14. present — a gift
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. hand — in cards
  17. mate — a partner
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. wake — a trail
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. rush — hurry

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