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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pit — in a race
  4. degree — from a university
  5. degree — an amount
  6. craft — a skill
  7. pit — a hole
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mine — for digging
  10. mate — a friend
  11. degree — temperature
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. fork — in a road
  14. craft — boats
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. mate — a partner
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. mine — an explosive

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