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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. mate — to breed
  3. present — the time now
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. cap — a hat
  7. present — there
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. present — a gift
  10. pitch — completely
  11. season — of the year
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. cap — a lid
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mate — a partner
  17. plane — a tool
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. craft — a skill
  22. season — in sport
  23. cap — of ice
  24. craft — boats

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