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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. ball — a great time
  4. mate — a friend
  5. pass — a permit
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. mate — to breed
  8. last — final
  9. roll — a list
  10. squash — to crush
  11. last — finally
  12. roll — a cake
  13. bear — the animal
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. last — to go on
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bear — the animal
  18. scale — in music
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. mate — a partner
  21. scale — size or range
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. ball — a dance

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