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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. mate — to breed
  5. mate — a partner
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. mate — a friend
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. mine — for digging
  15. pitch — completely
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. lie — to recline
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. jam — a tight spot

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