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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: last · court · firm · stick · mouse · file · mate · season

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. mate — a friend
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. season — in sport
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. last — final
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. last — to go on
  11. file — a tool
  12. last — finally
  13. court — for sport
  14. mate — to breed
  15. court — of law
  16. file — a document
  17. mate — a partner
  18. court — of a king
  19. firm — steady
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. firm — a company
  22. firm — decided
  23. season — of the year
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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