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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. mate — to breed
  4. mug — a cup
  5. bound — certain
  6. spring — the season
  7. toast — bread
  8. mug — a face
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. perch — the fish
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bound — obliged
  16. spring — of water
  17. spring — a coil
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. mate — a friend
  22. mug — to rob
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. bound — tied together

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