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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. mate — to breed
  3. kid — child
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. mate — a friend
  6. charge — electricity
  7. charge — in control
  8. charge — a price
  9. court — of a king
  10. court — for sport
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. court — of law
  14. kid — to tease
  15. foot — a measure
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — a break
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. foot — part of the body

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