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: field · mark · last · content · perch · tube · pit · mate

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. tube — the underground
  4. pit — in a race
  5. field — for sport
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. content — happy
  9. last — final
  10. mark — a trace
  11. perch — the fish
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. tube — a container
  14. field — farmland
  15. field — a subject
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. pit — a hole
  18. last — to go on
  19. content — the amount
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mate — to breed
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. last — finally
  24. mark — a grade

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