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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. ground — crushed
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. key — in music
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. ground — the earth
  8. key — the most important part
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. mate — to breed
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. key — for a lock
  14. ground — a position
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. sharp — clever
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. date — the fruit
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mate — a friend
  24. date — on the calendar

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