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: mug · bat · pitcher · stem · pass · leaves · drill · mate

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mate — a friend
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. mug — to rob
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. mate — to breed
  8. drill — the tool
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mate — a partner
  11. drill — army training
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. bat — the animal
  17. pass — a permit
  18. drill — a practice
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. stem — to come from
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. pass — to succeed

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