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: stick · mug · mate · temple · bat · suit · pound · wake

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. mate — a partner
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. mate — to breed
  5. pound — a weight
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. suit — to fit
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. wake — a trail
  12. mug — to rob
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. suit — in cards
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. bat — the animal
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. suit — clothes
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mug — a face

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