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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. game — wild animals
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mate — a partner
  8. tube — a container
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. saw — the tool
  11. mine — for digging
  12. tube — the underground
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. deal — to handle
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. game — a match
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. saw — the tool
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. mate — a friend
  24. deal — an agreement

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