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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — hurry
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. can — a tin
  9. pop — to visit
  10. can — a tin
  11. pop — soda
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. pass — a permit
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. can — to be able to
  18. pop — music

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