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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. staff — employees
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. field — a subject
  6. staff — a stick
  7. saw — the tool
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. present — there
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. mate — a friend
  12. mate — a partner
  13. tube — a container
  14. tube — the underground
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. field — farmland
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. present — a gift
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. field — for sport
  21. present — the time now
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. staff — employees
  24. mate — to breed

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