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: hide · mate · fine · mark · key · drill · mine · stock

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. key — in music
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. drill — a practice
  5. mate — a friend
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. key — the most important part
  8. mark — a grade
  9. drill — the tool
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mate — a partner
  15. stock — goods
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. stock — shares
  19. fine — all right
  20. mine — for digging
  21. key — for a lock
  22. fine — high quality
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. drill — army training

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