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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mate — to breed
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. cap — a lid
  6. ball — a dance
  7. key — the most important part
  8. key — for a lock
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. key — in music
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. ball — a great time
  13. spell — magic
  14. spell — a short time
  15. spell — letters
  16. bank — of a river
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cap — of ice
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bank — for money
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. bank — for money
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. saw — the tool

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