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

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. field — a subject
  3. rush — hurry
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. field — for sport
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. rule — government
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. field — farmland
  14. rule — a law
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. rule — to rule out

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