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: net · mug · club · spring · pass · mate · mark · last

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. mug — to rob
  3. last — finally
  4. club — for golf
  5. mug — a face
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pass — a permit
  8. mark — a grade
  9. net — after costs
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. net — for catching
  13. last — to go on
  14. spring — the season
  15. net — in sport
  16. mark — a trace
  17. spring — of water
  18. mate — a partner
  19. mate — a friend
  20. last — final
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. mug — a cup
  23. spring — a coil
  24. club — for dancing

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