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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  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. march — the month
  2. mate — a partner
  3. season — in sport
  4. can — to be able to
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. wind — moving air
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. vault — a safe
  9. can — a tin
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. stem — to come from
  12. staff — employees
  13. march — the month
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. wind — moving air
  16. staff — a stick
  17. mate — a friend
  18. march — music
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. staff — employees
  21. season — of the year
  22. can — a tin
  23. wind — to turn a key
  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