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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. pit — in a race
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. kick — in football
  6. mate — a partner
  7. face — to confront
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. pit — a hole
  13. face — part of the head
  14. deal — to handle
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — a stick
  20. staff — employees
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. face — to point toward
  24. mate — a friend

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