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

Word bank: plane · season · bat · ball · ruler · wake · mate · file

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. bat — the animal
  5. season — of the year
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. plane — a tool
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. mate — a partner
  11. ball — a great time
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. file — a document
  14. ball — a dance
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. season — in sport
  18. mate — a friend
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. file — a tool
  21. file — a line of people
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. plane — an aircraft

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