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: mate · fall · pitch · wake · season · mouse · safe · coach

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. fall — to drop
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. mate — to breed
  5. season — in sport
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. fall — to drop
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. wake — a trail
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. season — of the year
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pitch — completely
  22. mate — a partner
  23. fall — the season
  24. wake — before a funeral

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