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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. charge — in control
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. mate — a friend
  6. mate — a partner
  7. charge — a price
  8. fine — all right
  9. present — there
  10. key — the most important part
  11. clip — for paper
  12. stock — shares
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. present — a gift
  15. fine — high quality
  16. key — in music
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. clip — a video
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. clip — to cut
  21. present — the time now
  22. stock — goods
  23. charge — electricity
  24. key — for a lock

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