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: game · mate · rash · perch · bay · saw · pass · mine

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  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. game — wild animals
  2. mate — a friend
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — the fish
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. rash — a series
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. game — a match
  12. saw — the tool
  13. rash — hasty
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. saw — the tool
  16. mine — for digging
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. mate — a partner
  19. pass — a permit
  20. mate — to breed
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. mine — belonging to me
  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