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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. vault — a safe
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. branch — a division
  5. field — farmland
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. mine — for digging
  8. suit — clothes
  9. field — a subject
  10. field — for sport
  11. mate — a friend
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. suit — to fit
  14. mate — a partner
  15. suit — in cards
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. squash — to crush
  18. squash — the sport
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. season — of the year
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. season — in sport

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